WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has issued a firm Tuesday deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, cautioning that failure to comply could trigger large-scale military strikes on key infrastructure, as tensions in the Middle East continue to intensify.
President Donald Trump has threatened Iran if it did not make a deal by 8 p.m. EDT Tuesday (midnight GMT) to open the key route for global energy supplies, rejected the Tehran proposal on Monday and stated his deadline was final.
“They made a proposal, and it’s a notable proposal. It’s a significant step. It’s not good enough,” Trump told pressers at an annual White House Easter event, referring to Iran.
He noted that he was upset with the government of Iran and that they are going to “pay a big price for it.”
Trump added the United States had plans to target Iran’s power plants and bridges within hours, highlighting the high stakes surrounding one of the world’s most critical energy routes.
Esmaeil Baghaei, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, stated on Monday that Iran’s demands “should not be interpreted as a sign of compromise, but rather as a reflection of its confidence in defending its positions.”
The spokesperson added that earlier US demands, such as a 15-point plan, were rejected as “excessive.”
According to the sources, Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, was in contact “all night long” with US Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.
The Pakistani-brokered framework for ending the war emerg from intense overnight contacts and proposes an immediate ceasefire, followed by talks on a broader peace settlement to be concluded within 15 to 20 days, sources told.
The Israeli military also said they had targeted Iran’s air force through a series of strikes on the Bahram, Mehrabad, and Azmayesh airports over the previous night, threatening to destroy Iran’s infrastructure and hunt down its leaders “one by one.
At least 3,540 people have been killed in Iran in the war, including at least 244 children, a US-based rights group HRANA said.
Red Cross’s International Committee chief Mirjana Spoljaric warned that “deliberate threats… against essential civilian infrastructure and nuclear facilities must not become the new norm in warfare.”
“Any war fought without limits is incompatible with the law,” she stated, without singling out any country or leader
Also read:Pakistan, Saudi Arabia call for calm amid Middle East crisis
