Tensions between Washington and Tehran intensified after President Donald Trump posted a profanity-filled message demanding Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face strikes. The post came after Iran rejected an earlier ultimatum in which Trump said a deal was required within 48 hours or Tehran would ‘face hell.’
On his social platform, Trump warned that Iran must allow ships to transit the strait and threatened attacks on energy and transport infrastructure, saying ‘Tuesday will be power plant day, and bridge day,’ and using abusive language to demand the strait be reopened. He also added an invocation of faith, writing ‘Praise be to Allah.’
Iran sharply condemned the post as uncivil and irresponsible. A statement on X said the tone reflected ‘a low level of civility and intelligence’ and characterized the repeated threats as an alarming readiness to commit war crimes. Tehran also criticized combining a religious invocation with hostile intent as evidence of ‘deep fanaticism.’
Iran’s central military command had earlier dismissed Trump’s previous ultimatum. Gen Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi called it ‘a helpless, nervous, unbalanced and stupid action’ and, echoing the president’s rhetoric, warned that ‘the gates of hell will open for you.’ Trump had referenced the March 26 ultimatum in a tweet saying ‘time is running out — 48 hours before all hell will rain down on them.’
Regional and diplomatic efforts aimed to cool the situation. 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, to discuss proposals to restore calm and to warn of a potential ‘unprecedented explosion’ in West Asia.
Oman and Iran held deputy foreign minister-level talks to explore measures to ensure safe vessel transit through the Strait of Hormuz, which handles roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments. Oman’s foreign ministry said undersecretaries and specialists attended, and Tehran said it is drafting a protocol with Oman to monitor traffic after imposing severe restrictions amid the wider US-Israeli conflict.
Separately, 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, as part of broader diplomatic exchanges aimed at preventing further escalation.
