US President Donald Trump said he believed there was a “good chance” of striking a deal with Iran, even as he renewed threats of devastating strikes if Tehran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking to Fox News, Trump said negotiators were working and that a deal might be reached soon; he also warned that if Iran failed to comply he was “considering blowing everything up and taking over the oil,” adding the country would be “living in Hell” and that recovery would take “20 years” if strikes went ahead.
Trump’s comments followed an expletive‑laden post on his Truth Social platform threatening attacks on power plants, bridges and other infrastructure in Iran. He later posted a terse new deadline — “Tuesday, 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time!” — appearing to extend an earlier ultimatum. The White House has twice previously extended similar deadlines amid reports of mediation progress.
The threats come amid heightened hostilities in a conflict that began at the end of February when the US and Israel opened full‑scale operations against Iranian targets. In recent days two US warplanes were downed in separate incidents, including an F‑15 confirmed shot down over Iran. US forces carried out a major search‑and‑rescue operation that recovered a second missing airman; the weapons systems officer was reported injured but in stable condition. Trump described the extraction as one of the most daring in US history.
Iran has vowed to retaliate against any attacks on its infrastructure. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Iran would “reciprocate” any strikes on energy or transport facilities, and parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf condemned Trump’s threats, warning they would bring a “living HELL” to American families and accusing the US of following Israeli directives. Iran’s leaders have shown defiance, continuing missile and drone attacks across the Gulf region and celebrating recent strikes against US aircraft.
The war has disrupted global energy flows. Iran has largely halted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for roughly one‑fifth of the world’s oil before the crisis. OPEC+ members warned that repairing damaged facilities is costly and time‑consuming; the cartel agreed to a modest increase in quotas for May of 206,000 barrels per day but acknowledged that actual production increases are constrained by the conflict and by other supply challenges. Analysts warn prolonged closure of Hormuz could push prices far higher.
The conflict has also produced significant humanitarian and regional spillover effects. Lebanon’s health ministry reported three civilians killed in an Israeli strike east of Beirut. Israel’s defense minister, Israel Katz, vowed to target Iranian leaders and strategic assets if missile attacks on Israel continued. Iran’s central military command said it had struck energy facilities in Israel and Gulf states following an Israeli strike on a large petrochemical complex inside Iran.
Inside Iran, the government has imposed a prolonged internet blackout — NetBlocks reports the current shutdown is the longest nation‑scale internet outage on record, lasting more than five weeks. Access to the global internet is limited to a small number of authorized users; civilians attempting to bypass restrictions risk arrest.
Diplomacy and protest have continued amid the fighting. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Syria and Turkey, saying Ukraine and Syria would expand security cooperation and that he is promoting Ukrainian expertise in countering Iranian missiles and drones. In Berlin, several hundred demonstrators took part in Easter peace marches to protest what they called a US‑Israeli war on Iran, with largely peaceful rallies through the government district.
Analysts caution that rhetoric and deadlines have been issued before and then postponed as mediation efforts advance. Observers say Iran’s leadership is ideologically committed to projecting power and is unlikely to be swayed by threats alone, while the US and Israel say they will continue to apply pressure until Tehran changes course. The situation remains volatile, with energy markets, regional security and civilian populations at risk as both sides signal readiness to escalate.