US President — whose 48-hour ultimatum to Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz expires tonight — may extend the deadline if conditions are deemed favourable, reports suggest.
“If the president sees a deal is coming together, he’ll probably hold off. But only he and he alone makes that decision,” a senior Trump administration official was quoted as saying by Axios.
If the deadline is extended, it would mark the fifth such extension given by the US President.
However, there’s not much optimism: a defence official said they were “skeptical” there would be any extension this time around, reported the outlet.
The Wall Street Journal too reported that negotiators were “pessimistic” about the chances of Tehran bowing to meet Trump’s demand to reopen the Strait of Hormuz before his Tuesday-night deadline.
Trump ramps up threats
Trump, over the weekend, issued an expletive-laden threat to Iran, demanding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F***** Strait, you crazy b******s, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah,” was Trump’s ominous weekend warning.
“Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!,” he had added, setting the precise deadline for Iran to act.
Subsequently, on Monday, during a press conference to celebrate the rescue of the missing airman from a downed F-15 jet, Trump again threatened Iran with “”, vowing that “every bridge in Iran will be decimated” and “every power plant in Iran will be out of business, burning, exploding, and never to be used again”.
Iran defiant as deadline approaches
Despite Trump’s rather forceful threats, Iran has remained defiant, with the country’s foreign ministry on Monday clarifying that it would not adhere to deadlines or be pressured to act.
Iran also reiterated that it would not open the Strait of Hormuz for a temporary ceasefire, saying on Monday that it felt that Washington was not ready for a permanent truce.
Commenting on Trump’s repeated threats to attack civilian infrastructure, Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf has also warned that the US president’s “reckless” moves would mean “”.
Clock ticks down, no deal in sight
With clock ticking down on Trump’s deadline, Pakistan had sent a peace proposal to both the US and Iran on Monday, but Tehran has rejected the same, responding instead with a 10-point plan of its own.
However, it remains unclear whether Washington will consider Tehran’s proposal.
Last week, Tehran had also rejected the Trump administration’s 15-point peace plan, calling the listed demands “excessive and unreasonable”.
