The spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Esmaeil Baghaei, has said that the US president’s latest threats against Iran are “an indication of a criminal mindset” and amount to an “incitement to war crimes and crimes against humanity”. Iran has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane, a vital route for the world’s oil and gas, since the start of the US-Israeli bombing campaign on Feb 28.
President Donald Trump on Sunday extended his ultimatum to Iran by one day, posting a message on Truth Social simply saying “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!,” shifting the deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face military strikes on its civilian infrastructure to 0000 GMT Wednesday.
The move comes as the more-than-five-week-old conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran shows no sign of resolution, with peace talks stalled and both sides hardening their positions.