07/04/2026 – 11:45 GMT+2
The Tehran regime has pushed back on the US president’s ultimatum to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as Trump again reiterated his threat of Iran’s “complete demolition” by the end of his deadline.
Iran showed no sign of backing down Tuesday as a US deadline loomed for it to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, defying threats by President Donald Trump to “decimate” the country’s civilian infrastructure.
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The Iranian military dismissed what they called Trump’s “arrogant rhetoric and baseless threats”, saying they would not change course more than five weeks into the war.
Trump has warned that unless Tehran allows free passage through the strategic oil chokepoint, the US will unleash what he called the “complete demolition” of Iran’s critical infrastructure overnight on Wednesday.
“We have a plan … where every bridge in Iran will be decimated by 12 o’clock tomorrow night, where every power plant in Iran will be out of business, burning, exploding and never to be used again,” Trump said.
“I mean complete demolition by 12 o’clock, and it’ll happen over a period of four hours, if we wanted to,” Trump said at a press conference during which he also recounted the rescue of the two crew members of a US F-15 fighter jet shot down over Iran last week.
Bombardment continued across the region overnight, with Israel’s military saying Tuesday it carried out a new “wave” of air strikes on the “terror regime infrastructure” in Tehran and other areas.
Iranian state-run media said explosions were heard in parts of Tehran and nearby Karaj early Tuesday.
The Israeli army later said it had detected missiles launched from Iran towards Israeli territory, adding that air defence systems were working to intercept them.
Across the Gulf, Bahrain’s interior ministry said air-raid sirens sounded Tuesday morning, urging residents to seek shelter, while the UAE said its air defences were actively engaging missiles and drones.
Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry said its air defences intercepted and destroyed seven ballistic missiles launched towards the kingdom’s east, with debris falling near energy facilities.
Ceasefire proposal rejected
Both Trump and Iran, meanwhile, said a proposal touted by international mediators for a 45-day ceasefire is not yet ready.
Trump had earlier said that the plan, which the US media said was being mediated by Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey, was a “significant proposal,” but he later said it was not good enough.
Iranian state media quoted officials as saying that Tehran too “has rejected a ceasefire and insists on the need for a definitive end to the conflict”.
The New York Times, citing two unnamed senior Iranian officials, reported that Iran was demanding guarantees against future attacks and an end to Israeli strikes on its proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Under the plan, Iran would reopen the strait while charging around $2 million (€1.7m) per vessel, a fee it would share with neighbouring Oman, the paper reported.
Iran has effectively obstructed the waterway since the start of the war on 28 February, driving up global oil and gas prices. Around one‑fifth of the world’s oil normally flows through the strait.
It remains unclear who, if anyone, in Tehran has complete control of the elite Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), whose navy has blocked the Strait of Hormuz and continues to selectively allow only a fraction of tankers through the narrow sea passage.
