Trump Ultimatum to Iran Expires: US Threatens to Destroy Power Plants and Bridges

U.S. President Donald Trump's ultimatum demanding Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz is set to expire at 20:00 Washington time on Tuesday, April 7, 2026 — 05:00 Wednesday Central European Time — with Trump threatening to destroy Iran's power plants and bridges if no agreement is reached. Trump declared on Monday that "the entire country could be wiped out in a single night, and that night could very well be tomorrow," and named the threatened operation "Power Plant Day and Bridge Day." The war, which began on February 28, 2026, following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, has already claimed according to the HRANA human rights organization. On Tuesday alone, at least 33 people, including five children, died in bombings across Iranian territory, with the provinces of Alborz, Shahriar, and Pardis among the hardest hit. The Israeli Defense Forces issued warnings in Farsi on Tuesday urging Iranian civilians to avoid trains and railway infrastructure until 21:00, stating that proximity to rail lines would put lives at risk. The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to vote Tuesday on a draft resolution regarding navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, promoted by Bahrain.

Allies push back as Trump stands firm on threats France and the United Kingdom have both signaled strong opposition to the threatened strikes on civilian infrastructure, placing Washington at odds with key partners as the deadline approaches. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated on the France Info television network that attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure "are prohibited by the laws of war and international law" and warned they would trigger dangerous consequences. „They would undoubtedly trigger a new phase of escalation, of retaliation, which would drag the region and the world economy into a very worrying and, above all, very harmful vicious circle for our own interests.” — Jean-Noël Barrot via Deutsche Welle The United Kingdom has reportedly informed Washington it will not allow the use of its bases for strikes on civilian infrastructure, according to reporting cited by LaSexta. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, appearing alongside Trump at Monday's press conference, backed the ultimatum without reservation. „Iran must choose. Choose well because this president is not playing.” — Pete Hegseth via Europa Press Hegseth also stated that the volume of attacks on Iranian soil had reached its highest level since the first day of the operation, and warned that Tuesday would see even more. Trump, when asked whether the threatened bombings could constitute war crimes, dismissed the concern, saying that Iranians themselves were "willing to suffer for their freedom" and claiming U.S. forces had intercepted messages from Iranians urging continued strikes.

Iran calls for human chains, threatens regional retaliation Inside Iran, authorities called on citizens to form human chains at power plants during Tuesday afternoon and evening in anticipation of large-scale strikes expected overnight. Iranian Deputy Sports Minister Alireza Rahimi issued the appeal, framing the potential attacks as a war crime. „We call on everyone to join hands: attacking public infrastructure is a war crime.” — Alireza Rahimi via El Periódico Iran's joint military command issued a parallel warning, stating that any new aggression against civilian targets would receive a "multiplied response" against American and Israeli interests in the region. Tehran also threatened that any attack on its power plants would be met with strikes on equivalent facilities in Gulf countries. Iranian officials publicly dismissed Trump's ultimatum as "arrogant rhetoric" that had "no effect" on its operations, according to a government spokesperson cited by RFI. The Iranian Red Crescent reported 15 civilians killed in U.S. and Israeli strikes during the early hours of Tuesday and issued a statement that "international humanitarian law explicitly stipulates that attacking defenseless civilians is a war crime." Iranians inside the country, speaking to the BBC under changed names due to an internet blackout imposed more than five weeks ago, described fear of losing access to water and electricity. „I feel like we are sinking deeper into a swamp. What can we do as ordinary people? We can't do anything. We can't stop him. I keep thinking about a scenario where, in a month's time, I'm sitting with my family with no water, no electricity, no nothing.” — Kasra via BBC

The war between the U.S.-Israeli coalition and Iran began on February 28, 2026, with strikes that killed then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the first day of the conflict. His son Mojtaba Khamenei was subsequently appointed Supreme Leader on March 9, 2026. The Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 20% of the world's crude oil supply passes, has been partially closed since the start of hostilities, triggering fuel price increases and disruptions to global trade routes. The conflict has also drawn in Lebanon, where Hezbollah operates as an Iranian ally.

Ceasefire proposal stalls as diplomatic window narrows Mediators from Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt presented a 45-day ceasefire proposal intended to create a negotiating window before a permanent cessation of hostilities, but neither side has accepted the plan as the deadline approaches. According to The New York Times, as cited by RFI, "White House officials stated that Trump has not given his approval to the proposal." Iran, for its part, has rejected any temporary ceasefire that does not include guarantees against future attacks, a protocol governing Strait of Hormuz traffic, the lifting of sanctions, and compensation for bombing damage — conditions that analysts and the El País editorial board described as impossible to meet within the remaining hours. The United Nations has warned of possible war crimes due to systematic attacks against civilian populations on both sides of the conflict. On Monday alone, 573 (documented attacks) — attacks recorded across 20 of Iran's 31 provinces in a single day, according to El Mundo. Trump, while maintaining his threatening posture, also expressed optimism about negotiations during Monday's press conference — a combination of signals that Spanish journalist Pedro Vallín, speaking on Al Rojo Vivo, described as characteristic of the president's volatile approach. „We are going to see how far he dares, how far he goes, and who he can count on. Listening now to Donald Trump speak about the negotiations, he seems optimistic about how they are progressing. But we already know that this is pure cyclothymia and that in the coming hours it can turn into uncontrolled anger.” — Pedro Vallín via LaSexta

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