U.S. President Donald Trump, after setting a deadline for Iran, posted a brief and attention-grabbing message on Sunday, April 5 on his “Truth Social” platform, pointing to a specific time but offering no explanation.
Trump wrote: “Tuesday, 8 PM Eastern Time!”
The entire post consisted of just this one sentence, with no background information or further clarification.
This post comes as the U.S. war on Iran drags on into its second month. Trump had previously sent a clear signal to Iran, demanding that it reopen the Strait of Hormuz; otherwise, the United States would begin larger-scale strikes on Iranian infrastructure starting Tuesday.
It is not yet clear whether this specific timing is related to potential military action, a policy announcement, or progress in negotiations.
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Earlier that day, Trump said in an interview with Fox News that there was a strong chance a deal could be reached on Monday; however, he later told Israel’s Channel 12 that an agreement might also be reached on Tuesday.
When discussing the progress of the negotiations, Trump stated that the United States and Iran are engaged in “in-depth talks,” and noted that envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner are the main negotiators. Sources told Axios that the talks are being mediated through countries such as Turkey, Pakistan, and Egypt, while U.S. advisers are also maintaining communication with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi via text messages.
Trump said that overall negotiations are “progressing well,” but that reaching a final agreement is “never easy.” He also claimed that, in order to ensure the talks continue, he has granted Iranian negotiators immunity from death.
At the same time, Trump once again issued military threats. He said that if Iran moves too slowly in the negotiations, the United States might “blow everything up” and even “take over the oil.” He also revealed that the U.S. had previously maintained contact with Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf.
Regarding military action, Trump explained the reason behind a recent U.S. strike on a key bridge in Iran. He said Iran had requested a five-day delay before holding talks, which he interpreted as a lack of sincerity, prompting him to launch the strike. “I felt they weren’t serious, so I attacked that bridge,” he said.
Trump also stated that Iran has already made concessions on the issue of not developing nuclear weapons.
Iran partially reopens the Strait of Hormuz
Meanwhile, Iran has begun allowing limited passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, citing an official letter on Sunday, Iran is currently permitting ships carrying essential goods to pass through the strait.
The report noted that all vessels heading to Iranian ports, including those currently in the Gulf of Oman, must coordinate in advance with Iranian authorities and strictly follow the required transit procedures in order to be permitted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical energy transit routes, carrying about one-fifth of global oil trade. Since the United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, Iran has taken retaliatory measures by effectively blocking the strait, severely impacting international shipping and energy markets. Before the conflict, approximately 20 million barrels of oil passed through the strait each day.
