Trump Threatens Iran Bridges, Sets 8pm ET Deadline
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- Trump posted a profanity‑laden message on Truth Social threatening to blow up Iran’s bridges and power plants if the Strait of Hormuz is not opened by early Wednesday.
- Trump set a specific deadline of 8 pm ET on Tuesday (00:00 GMT Wednesday) for Tehran to comply, which translates to 3:30 am local time in Iran on Wednesday.
- Pakistan and other mediators, including Egypt and Turkiye, are working to achieve at least a partial breakthrough to postpone or end the risk of further military escalation.
- Iran has repeatedly denied that any negotiations with the United States are taking place, contradicting Trump’s claims of ongoing talks.
- Trump has previously issued similar deadlines since March 21, each time citing alleged negotiations that Tehran denies.
Why it matters: The threat raises the risk of a sudden strike on Iran’s critical infrastructure, end shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and prompting regional powers to intervene, while Iran faces potential devastation and the United States confronts heightened significant diplomatic fallout.
