By Lucia I. Suarez Sang
Updated April 4, 2026 / 7:41 PM EDT
President Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Iran, demanding the Strait of Hormuz be reopened or face severe consequences. In a Truth Social post he warned time was running out and invoked fierce retribution if Iran did not comply. The post followed a prime-time address in which he said U.S. forces had “decimated” Iran militarily and economically and claimed Iranian radar capabilities had been destroyed, calling the U.S. an unstoppable military force.
Iran’s central military command rejected the threat. Gen. Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi, speaking for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, called the president’s message desperate and unbalanced and countered with a religiously framed warning that Tehran would respond in kind.
The confrontation follows months of escalating hostilities that began with joint U.S.-Israel strikes on Feb. 28. The conflict has killed thousands, disrupted global markets, forced closures of key shipping lanes and pushed fuel prices higher. Newly released Pentagon figures show 365 American service members have been injured during U.S. operations against Iran.
This latest deadline echoes an earlier March 21 threat from Mr. Trump to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants — beginning with its largest — unless the strait was opened “within 48 hours.” Two days later he said constructive talks were underway and postponed planned strikes on power infrastructure for five days; that deadline was subsequently extended to April 6.
Diplomatic efforts are ongoing. Mediators from Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt are working to bring Washington and Tehran back to negotiations in Pakistan and reportedly are exploring a compromise to end fighting and restore passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, has indicated a willingness to participate in talks.
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham praised the ultimatum, warning of a “massive military operation” if Iran’s leadership makes the wrong choice and saying the regime has been severely weakened by what he called Operation Epic Fury.
The president’s announcement came as U.S. forces searched for a missing crew member from an F-15F fighter that Iran shot down on Friday; one of the two-person crew was rescued. Iranian state media also reported that a U.S. A-10 attack aircraft was downed after being struck by Iranian defenses. Officials noted this was the first U.S. aircraft lost on Iranian soil during the current war. Retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Houston Cantwell, a former F-16 pilot, observed that the last U.S. fighter lost in combat prior to this was an A-10 during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.