waterway through which nearly 20% of the world’s oil supply normally flows. Iran’s naval and missile activity in the area effectively choked off shipping. That sent global energy prices soaring and rattled markets already on edge.
In that context, Trump’s ultimatum — threatening devastating strikes on Iranian infrastructure unless Tehran agreed to concrete terms — captured headlines around the world. At one point, Trump wrote on his social media platform that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran did not accede to U.S. demands. Many analysts and legal scholars warned that such threats could be construed as war crimes under international law.
An 8 p.m. Deadline: Trump’s Ultimatum and Last‑Minute Turnaround
For days, Trump had publicly warned that unless Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz and agreed to U.S. conditions, massive military action would commence. That deadline was set for 8 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on April 7, 2026. As that deadline loomed, the world watched tensely.
At the same time, Pakistani leaders, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, engaged in frantic diplomatic efforts to avert a full‑scale military assault. Reports indicate that Pakistan urged Trump to hold off the destructive force destined for Iran — a phrase that would later feature in Trump’s own public announcement of the ceasefire.
Just hours before the deadline, Trump made an abrupt decision: rather than unleash a bombing campaign, he agreed to a “double‑sided ceasefire” that would halt offensive military action for two weeks. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote that he would “suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks,” provided Tehran agreed to the “complete, immediate, and safe opening” of the Strait of Hormuz.
