Trump extends deadline for Iran, threatens power plant strikes amid Strait of Hormuz tensions
U.S. President Donald Trump announced a further extension to his deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, warning that energy plants in the country could face destruction if Tehran does not comply. The announcement comes after Iran rejected Trump’s 15-point proposal aimed at ending the war he launched alongside Israel.
Iran has yet to signal any willingness to negotiate. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a statement reaffirming that all shipping “to and from ports of allies and supporters of the Israeli-American enemies” remains prohibited.
This marks the second time this week that Trump has delayed the threatened strikes. He initially set a deadline of March 23 to “hit and obliterate” Iranian power plants unless the strait was fully reopened.
That threat was pushed back five days, and on Thursday, Trump postponed it by an additional ten days, citing ongoing negotiations he claims are taking place with Iranian officials whose identities he has not disclosed.
“As per Iranian Government request, please let this statement serve to represent that I am pausing the period of Energy Plant destruction by 10 Days,” Trump posted on social media at 4:11 p.m. ET. “Talks are ongoing and, despite erroneous statements to the contrary by the Fake News Media, and others, they are going very well.”
The announcement triggered immediate volatility in oil markets. Nymex WTI crude futures for May delivery fell by more than $4 per barrel to $89.51 shortly after Trump’s post but later rebounded to $93.78 as of 5:04 p.m. ET.
Iran’s leadership has dismissed the notion of negotiations, calling it a “jawboning” campaign aimed at suppressing oil prices. Officials highlighted discrepancies between crude futures and the physical oil market, signaling skepticism over U.S. claims of progress.
Trump stated the new deadline for potential strikes is 8 p.m. ET on April 6, which corresponds to the early morning hours of April 7 in Tehran. Earlier in the day, he pointed to recent oil shipments through the strait as evidence that talks could alleviate the ongoing energy crisis.
“They’re begging to make a deal, not me,” Trump told his cabinet during a meeting on Thursday, downplaying the impact of the war on U.S. energy prices and emphasizing what he described as a strong negotiating position.
