President Donald Trump on April 6 warned that the U.S. military could take out Iran “in one night” if it fails to meet his Tuesday deadline to reach a deal that includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
“The entire country can be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night,” the president said during a White House press conference.
Trump said the April 7 deadline would be final for the Iranian regime to make a deal that includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to international maritime traffic. The strait, shared by Iran and Oman, is a critical waterway through which a significant share of global oil and gas shipments pass.
“This is a critical period. They have a period of, well, till tomorrow at 8 o’clock,” Trump said. “Now, we’ll see what happens. I can tell you they’re negotiating, we think, in good faith. We’re going to find out.”
Trump told reporters that any deal with Iran must be acceptable and include “free traffic of oil.” The president said some countries affected by the war have offered help to mediate but did not name them.
Just hours earlier, Trump told reporters during an Easter event at the White House that Iran had made a proposal, but “it’s not good enough.” When asked whether he would give Iran another extension, Trump said it is “highly unlikely.”
“They’ve had plenty of time. In fact, they asked for seven days. I said, I’m going to give you 10. But at the end of 10, all hell’s going to break out if you don’t get there,” he said.
Tehran communicated its response through Pakistan, signaling that it was unwilling to accept a temporary pause in hostilities.
“We won’t merely accept a ceasefire,” said Mojtaba Ferdousi Pour, head of Iran’s diplomatic mission in Cairo. “We only accept an end to the war with guarantees that we won’t be attacked again.”
According to IRNA, Tehran’s proposal includes 10 provisions, such as ending regional conflicts, ensuring safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, lifting economic sanctions, and initiating reconstruction efforts.
