In a noteworthy statement on the Truth Social platform on April 4, US President Donald Trump emphasized that time is running out: Iran has only 48 hours left to reach an agreement or open Hormuz. Otherwise, "everything will become hell.
At the same time, a senior Israeli defense official revealed that the country is preparing a plan to attack Iranian energy facilities and is waiting for a "green light" from the US. If approved, the operation could take place as early as next week. Previously, Mr. Trump warned that he would attack Iranian power plants if Washington's request was not met.
Reacting to the ultimatum, Tehran warned that any escalation would turn the entire region into "hell" for the US and Israel.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said that his country does not close the door to negotiations, including through intermediaries like Pakistan, but emphasized that the prerequisite is to end the "illegal war" against Iran.
The situation became even more tense as the area around the Bushehr nuclear power plant continued to be attacked. Tehran sent a letter to the United Nations, warning of the risk of serious radiation leaks - a scenario that could cause disaster not only for Iran but for the entire Middle East.
The focus of the current confrontation is the Strait of Hormuz - a shipping route transporting about 20% of global oil and liquefied gas production. Iran has almost closed this route, causing the energy market to fall into a state of alarm.
The disruption to Hormuz not only sparked an energy crisis but also threatened the global economy, in the context of the supply chain already under great pressure. Gulf countries - even as allies of the US - remain cautious, not directly engaged in combat for fear of widespread conflict.
On the ground, Iran continuously launched missiles and drones into Israel, while expanding targets to US-related facilities in the region. Attacks targeting US radar, an aluminum factory in the UAE and US military headquarters in Kuwait were declared by Tehran as retaliatory actions.
The Houthi forces in Yemen - Iran's ally - also announced coordination with pro-Tehéran forces, including Hezbollah, to carry out ballistic missile and UAV attacks on Israel.
In another development, Iran confirmed that it attacked an Israeli-linked ship right in Hormuz, causing the ship to catch fire.
Meanwhile, Washington is facing domestic pressure as US public opinion does not strongly support the war. The situation is becoming more complicated as a US pilot from the shot down plane is still missing on Iranian territory, raising concerns about a new hostage crisis.
As the 48-hour deadline is gradually passing, the world is facing a dangerous turning point: Either a last-minute agreement is reached, or the Middle East may fall into a spiral of large-scale conflict with unpredictable consequences for the globe.
