Trump Issues 48-Hour Ultimatum to Iran Over Strait of Hormuz

The ultimatum, posted on Truth Social late Saturday, demands Iran fully reopen the vital waterway—through which 20% of global oil flows—by around 12:40 a.m. UTC Monday, amid the 23-day Operation Epic Fury campaign of U.S.-led airstrikes on Iranian assets. Iran has mined approaches and attacked shipping, causing an insurance shutdown that doubled natural gas benchmarks and hit U.S. small businesses hard, while the U.S. temporarily waived sanctions on 140 million barrels of Iranian crude to ease market pain. Tehran vows retaliation against U.S. and Israeli infrastructure if hit, as over 20 nations back safe reopening efforts and the world eyes the ticking clock.

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Fuming Trump issues fiery ultimatum to Iran over Strait of Hormuz

By Anna Young, NY Post, March 21, 2026:

President Trump on Saturday issued a blistering ultimatum to Iran, warning that it has 48 hours to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face US strikes that would “obliterate” its vital energy infrastructure.

“If Iran doesn’t FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!” the president fumed on Truth Social.

The closure has sent global fuel prices soaring — with Brent crude remaining above $100 per barrel on Friday — up from around $70 a month ago.

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Tehran has vowed to use the surging oil prices as a strategic point of pressure against the US and Israel.

Iran responded to Trump’s threat Sunday by saying any such attack would draw a strong response.

“If Iran’s fuel and energy infrastructure is attacked by the enemy, all energy and information technology infrastructure and desalination plants belonging to the United States and the Israeli entity in the region will be targeted,” a statement from the regime said.

Trump’s stark warning came after he raged in a separate post that the US has “blown Iran off of the map.”

He claimed the escalating conflict was progressing “weeks ahead of schedule” while bashing the New York Times for reporting otherwise.

“The United States has blown Iran off the map, and yet their lightweight analyst, David Sanger, says that I haven’t met my own goals. Yes I have, and weeks ahead of schedule,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

“Their leadership is gone, their navy and air force are dead, they have absolutely no defense, and they want to make a deal. I don’t! We are weeks ahead of schedule. Just like their incompetent Election coverage of me, The Failing new York Times always gets it wrong.”

Trump on Friday told reporters he’s not interested in a potential cease-fire with Iran, contending that the damage in the country is so severe that it will take a decade to rebuild.

He slammed Iran for “clogging up the strait” and NATO for not having the “courage” to help reopen it.