The US-Iran war of words escalated as President Donald Trump posted a profanity-laced threat urging Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face attacks. The post followed Iran’s rejection of an earlier ultimatum in which Trump demanded a deal within 48 hours or “face hell.”
On his social platform, Trump said Iran must permit ships to transit the strait and warned of strikes on Iranian energy and transport infrastructure. He wrote, “Tuesday will be power plant day, and bridge day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it. Open the **** strait, you crazy b******s, or you’ll be living in hell — just watch! Praise be to Allah.”
Iran condemned the language as uncivil and irresponsible. A statement on X described the tone as reflecting “a low level of civility and intelligence” and said the repeated threats amounted to an alarming readiness to commit war crimes. Tehran also criticized the invocation of the divine alongside hostile intentions as evidence of “deep fanaticism.”
Earlier, Iran’s central military command dismissed Trump’s previous ultimatum. Gen Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi called it “a helpless, nervous, unbalanced and stupid action” and, echoing Trump’s rhetoric, warned that “the gates of hell will open for you.”
Trump had earlier referenced an ultimatum given on March 26, tweeting that “time is running out — 48 hours before all hell will rain down on them.”
Regional and diplomatic efforts were under way to defuse tensions. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said he spoke by phone with US envoy Steve Witkoff and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, as well as counterparts in Turkey and Pakistan, discussing proposals to restore calm and warning of a potential “unprecedented explosion” in West Asia.
Oman and Iran held deputy foreign minister-level talks to explore ways to ensure smooth vessel transit through the Strait of Hormuz, which carries about a fifth of global oil supplies. Oman’s foreign ministry said undersecretaries and specialists attended the meeting. Tehran has also said it is drafting a protocol with Oman to monitor traffic in the strait after imposing severe restrictions amid the wider US-Israeli conflict.
Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and Kuwait’s Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah discussed regional developments, including recent Iranian attacks on Kuwaiti energy infrastructure.
