President Donald Trump warned Iran he would target power plants and bridges unless it reopened the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday night - but what actually happened?
Trump said Iran must end its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by 8pm Washington time (midnight GMT) on Tuesday (7 April), warning he would otherwise destroy bridges and power plants across the country.
Trump first issued an ultimatum to Iran on 22 March, writing in a post on social media platform Truth Social that if Iran did not open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, the U.S. would “hit and obliterate” the country’s energy infrastructure.
The following day, he extended the deadline by five days, saying that Iran and the U.S. had had “very good and productive conversations” in a post on Truth Social.
Trump prolonged the deadline once more, but has since repeatedly reaffirmed the Tuesday deadline. He has also continued to threaten to target power plants and transport infrastructure if the deadline is not met.
With only hours remaining before the Tuesday night deadline, Trump made his strongest remarks yet on Truth Social, warning Iran that “a whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back,” if a deal was not reached with the U.S.
Iran responded defiantly to President Trump’s threat of imminent military action, making clear it would not be pressured into concessions by deadlines or warnings. Tehran publicly dismissed the ultimatum, insisting it would continue to defend its interests and blaming the crisis on U.S. and Israeli actions, while signalling that any de‑escalation would have to be reciprocal rather than imposed under threat.
After U.S. President Donald Trump set a Tuesday night deadline and threatened sweeping attacks on Iran if no agreement was reached, diplomatic efforts intensified behind the scenes, led by Pakistan. With just minutes remaining before the deadline, Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, announced that the negotiations he had been mediating had produced a breakthrough.
Iran and the United States, along with their allies, agreed to an immediate ceasefire covering all areas, including Lebanon and elsewhere, averting a major escalation.
The ceasefire was declared effective immediately, with President Sharif welcoming the deal and inviting all sides to Islamabad for further talks aimed at securing a long‑term settlement.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran would halt its military operations across the Gulf, provided that attacks stopped, adding that safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz would be allowed for two weeks in coordination with Iranian forces.
The white house later hailed the agreement as a victory, saying the U.S. had achieved its objectives, while attention now turns to whether the fragile truce can hold and be developed into a broader agreement.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 20th July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Overnight U.S. strikes caused blackouts in southwestern Iran and hit the northwestern city of Tabriz for the first time. Separately, a U.S. soldier died in northern Iraq during a controlled detonation of an unexploded Iranian drone.
The United States launched fresh strikes against Iran after two U.S. service members were killed in Jordan. U.S. President Donald Trump paid tribute to the fallen troops as Iran warned of further escalation.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun will make his first trip to the White House this week to present a plan to U.S. President Donald Trump on how to disarm Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah and secure Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon.
Two U.S. service members have been killed and another is missing following an Iranian attack in Jordan, the U.S. military said on Saturday (18 July), as fighting between Washington and Tehran intensified despite efforts to revive a collapsed ceasefire.
The United States launched a seventh consecutive night of strikes on Iran as Tehran targeted U.S. allies in the Gulf, while tensions remain high in the Strait of Hormuz.
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