48 hours before all hell will rain down: Trump warns Iran on Hormuz blockade

Earlier, Trump had extended the deadline to reopen the critical energy chokepoint by 10 days, pushing it to April 6 after expressing optimism about ongoing talks with Iran.

In Short

• Trump had set April 6 deadline for Iran to open Hormuz or strike deal
• US goals in conflict have shifted and sometimes contradicted
• Trump’s statements on war and oil have been inconsistent

Time is ticking, US President Donald Trump warned in his latest salvo against Iran, saying that if Tehran does not adhere to his deadline to open the Strait of Hormuz, “hell will rain down on them.”

"Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out - 48 hours before all Hell will rain down on them. Glory be to GOD! President DONALD J. TRUMP," he wrote on Truth Social.

Earlier, Trump had extended the deadline to reopen the critical energy chokepoint by 10 days, pushing it to April 6 after expressing optimism about ongoing talks with Iran.

When Donald Trump launched Operation Epic Fury with Israel on February 28, his administration laid out a broad set of goals: dismantle Iran’s missile capabilities, cripple its navy, and block any path to a nuclear weapon.

Trump has also oscillated between deploying troops on the ground and ruling out the possibility altogether. This comes even as the US buildup in the Middle East has already placed 50,000 troops in the region.

More than a month into the conflict, those goalposts appear to have shifted repeatedly. At times, Trump has spoken about expanding the scope of US goals in the region, only to later scale them down -- and at times contradict himself.

In just the fifth week of the war, Trump said the conflict had “nothing to do with oil,” only to later suggest the US should “take the oil & make a fortune.”

He has alternated between declaring the war nearly over and warning of weeks of intensified strikes on infrastructure.

Within days, his stance on the Strait of Hormuz also shifted -- from saying other nations could reopen it once the US withdrew, to asserting that Washington could “easily” handle it itself.

Trump had warned earlier that if the Strait was not opened, he would target Iranian energy infrastructure, including power plants and oil wells. He also ordered a pause on strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure until April 6.

Iran has rejected Trump’s proposals, calling them “unrealistic, illogical and excessive.”

On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi stated that Tehran has not declined to attend peace talks in Islamabad. He stressed that any negotiations must result in a definitive and enduring resolution to the ongoing conflict.

These remarks follow speculation about a potential impasse in Pakistan-facilitated discussions between Iran and the United States, which Islamabad has been mediating since the escalation of tensions in the region.

“We are deeply grateful to Pakistan for its efforts and have never refused to go to Islamabad,” Araghchi said in a social media post.

“What we care about are the terms of a conclusive and lasting END to the illegal war that is imposed on us,” he added.

Iran, time and again, has maintained that the US’s “15-point plan for de-escalation” amounts to complete capitulation, dismissing it as “one-sided,” “unfair,” and “excessive.”

Pakistan intervened after the conflict expanded across the Gulf region, seeking to facilitate dialogue between Washington and Tehran. According to an unnamed official cited by Dawn newspaper, some progress had been made, with messages exchanged between the parties, but momentum slowed due to a lack of a clear signal from Iran.

The official expressed surprise that despite significant damage to naval, air force, and other military and civilian infrastructure, Iran had not responded positively to calls for negotiations. Pakistan and China have reportedly urged Iran to engage in dialogue, though Tehran has yet to formally confirm its readiness.

Pakistani leaders remain in contact with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Araghchi, the report added.

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