April 6, 2026, 10:57 p.mApril 6, 2026, 10:57 p.m
US President Donald Trump at a press conference on Easter Monday.Image: keystone
US President Donald Trump has threatened Iran with the destruction of all bridges and power plants within hours of his ultimatum expiring. The US could bring about “complete destruction” within four hours, Trump said in the White House. The deadline he set for Tehran to open the Strait of Hormuz expires at 2 a.m. on Wednesday night according to Swiss time.
About his threatened destruction of Iranian bridges and power plants, Trump said he didn’t want that to happen. But at the same time he emphasized: “We have a plan.” In this case, every power plant will go off the grid, burn, explode and can never be used again. Shortly before, he had already threatened: “The entire country can be eliminated in one night, and that night could be tomorrow.”
Trump’s threats of attack against civilian infrastructure are also controversial in the USA. Critics warn of possible war crimes.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who also took part in the press conference in the White House, announced that he would expand American air strikes in the Iran war: “Today – on the instructions of the President – the largest number of attacks since the beginning of the operation will be flown,” he said. “And then Iran has a choice.”
Trump pushes for a deal
According to Trump, diplomatic efforts to find a way out of the war are continuing. They are negotiating with Iran – he thinks things are going well, he said. He could not say anything about efforts to reach a ceasefire. However, he could say that Iran would like to reach an agreement. The US President has often spoken of good and productive talks in the past and emphasized that Iran wants a deal. Tehran had partially rejected the US information.
Pakistani intelligence circles said on Easter Monday that the warring parties had been presented with a plan for a 45-day ceasefire with peace talks. However, a rapprochement, especially regarding the opening of the Strait of Hormuz blocked by Iran, seemed far away.
The Iranian leadership recently submitted its “demands and demands” to the mediators. The US demands are “excessive and unacceptable,” said Foreign Office spokesman Ismail Baghai, according to the state news agency Irna. A 15-point plan from the USA that demands major concessions from Iran has been under discussion for some time. In addition to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey are mediating between Washington and Tehran. Meanwhile, Iran continued its missile and drone attacks on neighboring countries in the Gulf at the beginning of the week.
The US news portal Axios reported, citing statements from four US, Israeli and regional sources, that the 45-day ceasefire was the only chance to prevent a dramatic escalation. However, according to a report by the Iranian state broadcaster Irib, Iran submitted a ten-page demand paper in which it rejected a ceasefire and instead called for, among other things, a permanent end to the war and reparations.
Trump now emphasized that an agreement was needed and part of it had to be that the free transport of oil through the Strait of Hormuz was guaranteed again.
Opening of the Strait of Hormuz is the focus
After the outbreak of the Iran war started by Israel and the USA on February 28, Tehran virtually brought shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to a standstill with attacks and threats. Because the strait is central to global oil and gas trade, energy prices shot up.
A few weeks ago, Trump tried for the first time to use an ultimatum to persuade Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz. However, he postponed the deadline several times – and most recently set it for Tuesday, 8 p.m. Eastern time. If Iran did not give in, Trump had announced attacks on energy facilities and infrastructure such as bridges. In a speech to the nation last week, Trump even threatened to take Iran back to the “Stone Age.”
The USA recently attacked an important bridge
The USA recently bombed the highest bridge in the country, the “B1” near Tehran. “The largest bridge in Iran is collapsing and will never be used again – there will be much more to come!” commented Trump. (sda/dpa)