Trump’s White House Address Looms as Iran Ultimatum Concludes
US President Donald Trump is set to speak from the White House at 1 pm Eastern Time on Monday. The announcement came as his deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz appeared to be extended by 24 hours.
Deadline and briefing details
Trump used his Truth Social platform to remind media of the ultimatum. He posted a new deadline of “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time” without further detail.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the news conference will take place at 1 pm ET in the briefing room. The event had been planned for the Oval Office but was moved to a larger hall.
Timeline and pause on strikes
The president had earlier imposed a 10-day pause on strikes against Iranian power infrastructure. That pause was nearing its scheduled end as the deadline approached.
Initial public timing put the deadline at 8 pm ET on April 6. The later social post indicated an apparent one-day extension until 8 pm ET on April 7.
Strategic importance of the Strait
The Strait of Hormuz links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. About 20 percent of global oil and gas supplies normally transit the waterway.
Control of the strait has been central to Washington’s demands. Tehran has publicly resisted those demands and asserted continued control.
Military claims and rescue operations
Trump said US forces rescued a seriously wounded F-15 crew member from Iranian territory. He described the recovered officer as a “highly respected Colonel.”
He also said a second rescue occurred in daylight and praised the missions as rare and risky. Earlier foreign reports said a US F-15 was shot down over Iran.
Conflicting combat reports
Tehran said it struck about five US aircraft, including F-15 and A-10 jets. Iran also claimed to have deployed a new air-defence system.
Those Iranian statements conflicted with US claims that Iranian defenses had been degraded. The accounts remain disputed amid ongoing hostilities.
Rhetoric and wider consequences
Trump warned of severe strikes if Iran failed to comply with US demands. He had threatened “extremely hard” attacks and said further action could follow within weeks.
Financial and energy markets watched the rhetoric closely. Analysts noted a history of differences between presidential statements and subsequent actions.
Regional effects and India’s response
The escalation prompted concerns about global energy supplies and market volatility. Many nations are monitoring shipping through the strait.
India has increased domestic crude production and diversified imports. Officials have assured citizens of no fuel shortages and prioritised household cooking gas supplies.
With Trump’s White House address looming, the region remained on edge. The Iran ultimatum concludes as both sides maintain firm positions.
