Iran halted direct communications with the United States just hours before President Donald Trump’s deadline.
Trump on Sunday issued an ultimatum to the Iranian regime, threatening to bomb its energy infrastructure and bridges if it refuses to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and work out a peace agreement.
Tehran appears to believe the president is bluffing or that it can sustain the escalated bombing campaign Trump declared.
Initially, negotiations between Washington and Tehran appeared to be on the right track, but now, Trump might be forced to follow through on his threat.
Iran International, the regime’s state-run media, along with regional officials, said Iran has cut off “direct” communication with Washington while still speaking with ceasefire mediators. Iranian leaders and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) framed the freeze as a response to Trump’s threats. They warned that they could retaliate against U.S. and allied energy assets “beyond the region.”
DEADLINE: 8 PM ET TONIGHT
— 24/7WNEWS (@0xsafiur) April 7, 2026
Trump to Iran: Reopen Strait of Hormuz or face total infrastructure destruction
"Every power plant will be out of business, burning, exploding. A whole civilization could die tonight."
Iran standing firm. World watches.#Breaking #Iran #trump
Still, a senior U.S. official told Fox News that negotiators remain “absolutely in touch” with Tehran and described the talks as “positive.” They noted that “If we get lucky, we will have something by the end of the day.”
💥 BREAKING:
— crypto meme tokan (@KrishnaYad49864) April 7, 2026
Axios reports progress in US–Iran talks, but a deal before Trump’s 8 PM deadline still looks unlikely.
Negotiations are serious, with a 45-day ceasefire and Hormuz reopening being discussed. pic.twitter.com/DZTHaR8Kzi
Meanwhile, Trump has not backed down on his threats. In a Tuesday post on Truth Social, he declared, “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.”
I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will. However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS? We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World. 47 years of extortion, corruption, and death, will finally end. God Bless the Great People of Iran!
The looming deadline is at the center of the standoff. The regime has until 8 p.m. Eastern to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face the promised escalation in bombardments.