{"id":206892,"date":"2026-04-08T04:25:22","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T04:25:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/trump-announces-us-iran-ceasefire-after-threatening-attacks-live-updates-usa-today\/"},"modified":"2026-04-08T04:25:22","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T04:25:22","slug":"trump-announces-us-iran-ceasefire-after-threatening-attacks-live-updates-usa-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/trump-announces-us-iran-ceasefire-after-threatening-attacks-live-updates-usa-today\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump announces US-Iran ceasefire after threatening attacks: Live updates &#8211; USA Today"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>President <a href=\/news\/politics\/donald-trump\/ target=_blank rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" data-t-l=:b|e|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>Donald Trump<\/a> announced the United States reached a ceasefire with Iran for two weeks after earlier threatening to destroy Iranian energy and transportation infrastructure and <a href=\/story\/news\/politics\/2026\/04\/07\/donald-trump-iran-war-maga-bridges-power-plants\/89497525007\/ target=_blank rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" data-t-l=:b|e|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>wipe out a &#8220;whole civilization.&#8221;<\/a>\u00a0<br \/>The pause came less than two hours before the 8 p.m. ET deadline Trump set for a deal. The agreement, the president said, will be contingent on Iran allowing oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway used to ship much of the world&#8217;s oil.<br \/>The president had threatened to launch the sweeping attacks if the country did not relinquish its grip over the critical area. Iran has blocked traffic through the strait, driving up fuel prices and causing the global economy to wobble.<br \/>&#8220;I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks,&#8221; Trump said in a <a href=https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/116365796713313030 data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>statement<\/a> on social media. &#8220;This will be a double sided CEASEFIRE! The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive Agreement concerning Longterm PEACE with Iran, and PEACE in the Middle East.&#8221;<br \/>Israel will be part of the ceasefire if Iran opens the Strait of Hormuz, a White House official told USA TODAY. Iran\u2019s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi in a <a href=https:\/\/x.com\/araghchi\/status\/2041655156215799821\/photo\/1 data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>statement<\/a> said the country will observe the ceasefire &#8220;if attacks on Iran are halted.&#8221;<br \/>USA TODAY has reached out to the White House to confirm the U.S. strikes on Iran have stopped.<br \/>The president cited the intervention of Pakistani leaders in peace negotiations as the reason behind his move to &#8220;hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran.&#8221;<br \/>Trump said Iran sent the White House a &#8220;workable&#8221; 10-point plan for peace that the two sides will begin negotiating.<br \/>Michael Loria<br \/>The United States and Israel say any lasting peace with Iran will be contingent on access to the Strait of Hormuz, the critical oil shipping lane Iran has managed to make the key issue of the war.<br \/>The military operation launched Feb. 28 in an effort, leaders said, to eliminate Iran\u2019s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Iran responded to strikes by effectively blocking traffic through the strait, a 100-mile waterway through which some 20% of the world\u2019s oil and natural gas supply passes.<br \/>Iran\u2019s strategic closure of the channel has resulted in spiking gas prices and tumbling financial markets, leaving President Trump to deal with repeated questions about whether he would be able to reopen the channel before its closure has had a drastic impact on the economy.<br \/>Pending an end to strikes on Iran, the country\u2019s foreign minister has promised its armed forces will allow oil tankers to move through the channel again.<br \/><a href=\/story\/news\/world\/2026\/04\/07\/why-is-the-strait-of-hormuz-so-important\/89508780007\/ data-t-l=:b|e|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>Read more here<\/a>.<br \/>Michael Loria<br \/>The ceasefire between the United States, Israel and Iran will take effect &#8220;IMMEDIATELY&#8221; and extend &#8220;everywhere including Lebanon,&#8221; Pakistan\u2019s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a <a href=https:\/\/x.com\/CMShehbaz\/status\/2041665043423752651 data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>statement<\/a> announcing the breakthrough in negotiations.<br \/>&#8220;With the greatest humility, I am pleased to announce that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY,&#8221; Sharif said. &#8220;Both parties have displayed remarkable wisdom and understanding and have remained constructively engaged in furthering the cause of peace and stability.&#8221;<br \/>Sharif\u2019s comments come as leaders from the United States and Iran have credited the Islamic republic bordering Iran with helping secure the ceasefire deal. The prime minister referred to the breakthrough as the &#8220;Islamabad Talks,&#8221; a reference to Pakistan\u2019s capital city.\u00a0<br \/>The prime minister said negotiations will continue in Islamabad on Friday, April 10. He did not elaborate on who will attend.\u00a0<br \/>Cybele Mayes-Osterman<br \/>Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, Pakistan&#8217;s ambassador to the United States, told USA TODAY in a written message that the ceasefire was the work of &#8220;leadership in concert&#8221; and came from &#8220;persistent\/patient diplomacy.&#8221; More diplomacy was needed, he said.<br \/>Pakistan had for weeks acted as a mediator between the United States and Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an April 7 <a href=https:\/\/x.com\/araghchi\/status\/2041655156215799821 data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>statement<\/a> announcing the ceasefire that Iran had acted &#8220;in response to the brotherly request&#8221; of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.<br \/>Sharif in his own X <a href=https:\/\/x.com\/CMShehbaz\/status\/2041665043423752651 data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>post<\/a> minutes later said U.S. and Iranian delegations were invited to Pakistan&#8217;s capital of Islamabad on April 10 &#8220;to further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes.&#8221;<br \/>Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy<br \/>Israel has agreed to an Iran ceasefire if the Strait of Hormuz is opened, a White House official confirmed to USA TODAY.<br \/>The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman used to ship 20% of the world\u2019s oil, which has been effectively closed by Iran since the start of the war six weeks ago.<br \/>President Trump announced that he had agreed \u201csuspend bombing for two weeks\u201d and that the United States had received a 10-point peace plan from Iran.<br \/>Michael Loria<br \/>Iran\u2019s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi in a <a href=https:\/\/x.com\/araghchi\/status\/2041655156215799821\/photo\/1 data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>statement<\/a> said the country will observe the ceasefire &#8220;if attacks on Iran are halted.&#8221;<br \/>&#8220;I hereby declare on behalf of Iran\u2019s Supreme National Security Council: If attacks on Iran are halted, our Powerful Armed Forces will cease their defensive operations,&#8221; Araghchi said.<br \/>The Iranian minister promised safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz to vessels that coordinate with the country\u2019s armed forces. Araghchi credited Pakistani diplomats for moving peace talks forward to the point of a ceasefire.<br \/>Michael Loria<br \/>President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran two hours shy of his deadline for negotiations.<br \/>The announcement came shortly after Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif had issued a <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/cmshehbaz\/status\/2041596151108137363?s=46&#038;t=9v4yGZuF4PUnsrGxLXiZuw\" data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>public plea<\/a> to &#8220;allow diplomacy to run its course.&#8221;<br \/>According to Trump, Iran sent the White House a 10-point plan for negotiations that the president called &#8220;workable.&#8221;<br \/>&#8220;The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive Agreement concerning Longterm PEACE with Iran, and PEACE in the Middle East,&#8221; Trump said in a statement on social media. &#8220;Almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to between the United States and Iran, but a two week period will allow the Agreement to be finalized and consummated.&#8221;<br \/>Michael Loria<br \/>President Donald Trump briefly responded to Iranian leaders urging people to form <a href=\/story\/news\/world\/2026\/04\/07\/iran-war-us-trump-hormuz-deadline-updates--live\/89492185007\/#glc89497664007 data-t-l=:b|e|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>human chains<\/a> around potential targets in the Middle Eastern country.<br \/>&#8220;Totally illegal,&#8221; Trump told NBC News. &#8220;They\u2019re not allowed to do that.&#8221;<br \/>Photos <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DrAlirezaRahimi\/status\/2041495034470842586?s=20\" data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>shared on social media<\/a> of the human chains show scores of people standing side by side carrying Iranian flags and signs reading &#8220;infrastructure is not a battlefield; it is the backbone of civilian life.&#8221;<br \/>Michael Loria<br \/>Reza Amiri Moghadam, Iran\u2019s ambassador to Pakistan, signaled <a href=\/story\/news\/world\/2026\/03\/27\/where-do-trumps-negotiations-stand-with-iran-see-updates--live\/89355807007\/ data-t-l=:b|e|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>progress in peace negotiations<\/a> with nearly two hours until Trump\u2019s deadline.<br \/>&#8220;Productive endeavours in Good Will and Good Office to stop the war is approaching a critical, sensitive stage,&#8221; Moghadam said in a <a href=https:\/\/x.com\/IranAmbPak\/status\/2041388843887464792 data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>statement on X<\/a>. &#8220;Stay more tuned&#8230;&#8221;<br \/>USA TODAY has reached out to the White House for comment.\u00a0<br \/>Dinah Voyles Pulver<br \/>A federal advisory warning of an \u201curgent and ongoing Iranian-affiliated cybersecurity threat\u201d targeting U.S.-based organizations was sent to governmental offices across the country on Tuesday.<br \/>The warning, distributed by the Environmental Protection Agency, the FBI and two other national security agencies, especially cautioned operators of <a href=http:\/\/www.epa.gov\/cyberwater data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>water facilities.<\/a> Multiple organizations are experiencing exploitation and, in some cases, \u201cdisruption of commonly used operational technology at drinking water and wastewater systems,\u201d the alert said.<br \/>\u201cCybersecurity threats are a serious concern for our nation\u2019s water infrastructure, including the communities, businesses, hospitals, and other critical infrastructure sectors that rely on these critical lifeline services,\u201d said Jess Kramer, the EPA&#8217;s assistant administrator for water.<br \/>In February, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, warned that <a href=https:\/\/www.epw.senate.gov\/public\/index.cfm\/2026\/2\/whitehouse-highlights-urgent-cyber-threats-to-u-s-water-systems data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>attacks had been made against small municipal water systems<\/a> by Iran and other opposition governments in at least four states over the last three years.<br \/>Michael Loria<br \/>Sen. Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican, slammed President Donald Trump over his threats to take out &#8220;a whole civilization.&#8221;<br \/>&#8220;The President\u2019s threat that &#8216;a whole civilization will die tonight&#8217; cannot be excused away as an attempt to gain leverage in negotiations with Iran,&#8221; Murkowski said in a <a href=https:\/\/x.com\/lisamurkowski\/status\/2041614215501479964 data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>statement on X<\/a>. &#8220;This type of rhetoric is an affront to the ideals our nation has sought to uphold and promote around the world for nearly 250 years.&#8221;<br \/>Murkowski wasn&#8217;t the only Republican to criticize Trump on Tuesday. \u00a0<br \/>Michael Loria<br \/>A gunman was killed and two Turkish officers were injured in an extended firefight outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul. A U.S. official in the region described the incident as an attack on Israel.<br \/>&#8220;Attacks on diplomatic missions are attacks on the international order \u2014 and an assault on the principles that bind nations together. We commend Tu\u0308rkiye and Turkish security forces for their swift and decisive response,&#8221; Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/USAMBTurkiye\/status\/2041470163082502306?s=20\" data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>statement<\/a>.<br \/>Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan described the shooting as a &#8220;heinous terrorist attack.&#8221;<br \/>Witnesses said the shooting lasted 10 minutes. No Israeli staff were at the consulate, authorities said. Israeli diplomats exited the country in late 2023 after the start of Israel\u2019s war with Hamas.<br \/>Mustafa Ciftci, Turkey\u2019s interior minister, described the attackers as having links to an organization that &#8220;exploits religion.&#8221; He said two of the attackers were brothers, and they drove in a rental car from the city of Izmit.<br \/>Michael Loria<br \/>Israeli officials confirmed a strike from the country\u2019s military on Iran destroyed a synagogue in the capital city of Tehran.<br \/>Photos of the structure showed torn and scattered Hebrew texts and members of the city\u2019s Jewish community walking through the rubble. Mohammad B. Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran\u2019s Parliament, said the &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/mb_ghalibaf\/status\/2041593100276048220?s=20\" data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>Rafi-nia Synagogue<\/a> in Tehran served as a house of worship for Iranian Jews for many decades.&#8221;<br \/>Israeli military officials said they were targeting a senior Iranian commander. They expressed regret for the destruction of the synagogue. It wasn\u2019t immediately clear if there were any casualties as a result of the strike.<br \/>Some 15,000 Jews lived in Iran, PBS News <a href=https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/newshour\/show\/despite-tension-between-iran-and-israel-irans-jewish-minority-feels-at-home data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>reported in 2018<\/a>. Jews have lived in the region for thousands of years.<br \/>Andrea Riquier<br \/><a href=\/money\/ data-t-l=:b|e|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>Financial markets closed<\/a> near the flatline Tuesday, after paring steep losses from earlier in the day.<br \/>Oil slipped nearly 3% to about $106 a barrel for Brent crude in the afternoon. The 10-year Treasury note was virtually unchanged at about 4.343%.<br \/>U.S. stocks were mostly lower: the Nasdaq and S&#038;P 500 both jumped into positive territory with seconds to go in the trading session to close up about 0.1% each. The Dow lost 0.2%, or about 85 points.<br \/>One of the biggest movers of the day was the VIX volatility index, which surged more than 11%. The index is often referred to as Wall Street&#8217;s &#8220;fear gauge&#8221; because it spikes during periods of uncertainty or market chop.<br \/>Michael Loria<br \/>Shehbaz Sharif, prime minister of Pakistan, asked President Donald Trump to extend his deadline by two weeks to &#8220;allow diplomacy to run its course.&#8221;<br \/>&#8220;Diplomatic efforts for peaceful settlement of the ongoing war in the Middle East are progressing steadily, strongly and powerfully with the potential to lead to substantive results in near future,&#8221; Sharif said <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/cmshehbaz\/status\/2041596151108137363?s=46&#038;t=9v4yGZuF4PUnsrGxLXiZuw\" data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>on X<\/a>. &#8220;To allow diplomacy to run its course, I earnestly request President Trump to extend the deadline for two weeks.&#8221;<br \/>&#8220;Pakistan, in all sincerity, requests the Iranian brothers to <a href=\/story\/news\/world\/2026\/04\/05\/iran-war-live-updates-trump-threat-strait-hormuz--live\/89474925007\/ data-t-l=:b|e|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>open Strait of Hormuz<\/a> for a corresponding period of two weeks as a goodwill gesture,&#8221; he added, also calling for a ceasefire in the region.<br \/>The statement from the Pakistani prime minister comes as less than five hours remain before Trump\u2019s promised deadline. The Islamic republic bordering Iran has been a key player in negotiations between Iran and the United States.<br \/>Christopher Cann<br \/>Kuwait&#8217;s Interior Ministry on Tuesday urged residents to shelter-in-place from midnight to 6 a.m. Wednesday as a &#8220;precautionary measure.&#8221;<br \/>The warning from Iran&#8217;s neighbor comes ahead of President Donald Trump&#8217;s deadline to carry out widespread attacks on Iranian infrastructure.<br \/>Natalie Neysa Alund<br \/>After President Donald Trump warned the U.S. military would strike Iran&#8217;s critical infrastructure should its leaders not open the Strait of Hormuz, Pope Leo on Tuesday appealed for peace, Reuters reported, saying threats against the population of Iran are &#8220;unacceptable.&#8221;<br \/>An <a href=\/videos\/news\/2026\/04\/05\/pope-leo-urges-world-leaders-end-wars-easter-mass\/89475922007\/ target=_blank rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" data-t-l=:b|e|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>outspoken critic of the Iran war,<\/a> the pope asked citizens across the globe to contact their respective lawmakers and ask them &#8220;to bring the expanding regional conflict to an end.&#8221;<br \/>Christopher Cann<br \/>Iran&#8217;s U.N. ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani promised that his country will retaliate if President Donald Trump carries out his threat to destroy Iran\u2019s power plants and bridges.<br \/>\u201cIran will not stand idle in the face of such egregious war crimes,\u201d he said during a U. N. Security Council meeting. \u201cIt will exercise, without hesitation, its inherent right of self-defense and will take immediate and proportionate reciprocal measures.\u201d<br \/>Iranian officials have previous vowed to intensify its attacks on Gulf neighbors infrastructure, threatening vital water desalination plants and energy sites.<br \/>Christopher Cann<br \/>The White House said only President Donald Trump knows where things stand amid reports that Iran has walked away from negotiations after Trump&#8217;s threat to wipe out the country&#8217;s entire civilization.<br \/>&#8220;The Iranian regime has until 8PM Eastern Time to meet the moment and make a deal with the United States,&#8221; White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. &#8220;Only the President knows where things stand and what he will do.&#8221;<br \/>Iran has stopped engaging in talks to end the war, <a href=https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/live\/2026\/04\/07\/world\/iran-war-trump-news data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>the New York Times<\/a> and <a href=https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/livecoverage\/iran-war-2026-trump-deadline-latest-news\/card\/iran-cuts-off-direct-diplomacy-with-u-s--bewqu8r2G6yv4UuZNztt data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>Wall Street Journal<\/a> reported on Tuesday, citing Iranian and Middle Eastern officials. It&#8217;s unclear if talks will pick up before Trump&#8217;s 8 p.m. deadline, the outlets said.<br \/>Iranian officials have not publicly confirmed whether talks have stalled.<br \/>Christopher Cann<br \/>Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday said he hopes there will be a positive breakthrough in negotiations with Iran as the clock winds down on President Trump&#8217;s threat to bombard the country&#8217;s infrastructure.<br \/>&#8220;Hope we have more news later today on that,&#8221; Rubio said when asked if he expects Iran to come to the table.<br \/>Rubio\u2019s comments were made ahead of his meeting with New Zealand\u2019s foreign minister. He did not respond to a question about what Trump meant by his threat in which he said a &#8220;whole civilization will die tonight.&#8221;<br \/>Christopher Cann<br \/>Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday said the Israeli military struck bridges and railroads in Iran, ahead of President Donald Trump&#8217;s deadline to strike Iranian infrastructure.<br \/>&#8220;These actions that I approved alongside the defense minister are not meant to attack the Iranian people,&#8221; Netanyahu said in a video address. &#8220;On the contrary, they were meant to weaken and crush the horrifying regime oppressing them for 47 years.&#8221;<br \/>Netanyahu said the strikes were necessary to degrade the Revolutionary Guard, which he accused of using bridges and trains to transfer weapons materials. Experts have said intentionally targeting civilian infrastructure could constitute war crimes.<br \/>In a statement, the Israeli military said it <a href=https:\/\/x.com\/IDF\/status\/2041523615531749516 data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>struck eight bridges in Iran<\/a>, including several in the cities of Tehran, Karaj, Tabriz, Kashan and Qom.<br \/>Zac Anderson<br \/>Trump&#8217;s threats to dramatically escalate the U.S. military conflict in Iran are drawing <a href=\/story\/news\/politics\/2026\/04\/07\/donald-trump-iran-war-maga-bridges-power-plants\/89497525007\/ data-t-l=:b|e|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>strong pushback from some on the right<\/a>, with former GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene suggesting the president should be removed from office.<br \/>&#8220;25TH AMENDMENT!!! Not a single bomb has dropped on America. We cannot kill an entire civilization. This is evil and madness,&#8221; Greene, once a close Trump ally who has become an outspoken critic, wrote on social media in response to a post by Trump warning that &#8220;A whole civilization will die tonight.&#8221;<br \/>The 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution empowers the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet to declare the president is &#8220;unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office&#8221; and elevate the vice president to the job.<br \/>Republican Sen. Ron Johnson said he hopes Trump&#8217;s threat in an April 5 social media post to target Iran&#8217;s bridges and power plants &#8220;really is bluster.&#8221;<br \/>\u201cI do not want to see us start blowing up civilian infrastructure. I do not want to see that,&#8221; Johnson said.<br \/>Prominent conservative commentator Tucker Carlson called the April 5 post is &#8220;vile&#8221; on &#8220;every level.&#8221;<br \/>&#8220;It begins with a promise to use the U.S. military, our military, to destroy civilian infrastructure in another country,&#8221; Carlson<a href=https:\/\/x.com\/TuckerCarlson\/status\/2041268132304540110 data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>\u00a0said April 6<\/a>\u00a0on The Tucker Carlson Show. &#8220;Which is to say to commit a war crime, a moral crime, against the people of the country.&#8221;<br \/>Christopher Cann<br \/>Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called President Trump &#8220;an extremely sick person&#8221; in a social media post responding to Trump&#8217;s threat to wipe out Iran&#8217;s entire civilization.<br \/>&#8220;Each Republican who refuses to join us in voting against this wanton war of choice owns every consequence of whatever the hell this is,&#8221; <a href=https:\/\/x.com\/SenSchumer\/status\/2041505371940958335 data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>Schumer said in a post on X<\/a>.<br \/>Hours earlier, Trump stepped up his threats on Iran, <a href=https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/116363336033995961 data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>writing in a social media post<\/a>: &#8220;A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don\u2019t want that to happen, but it probably will.&#8221;<br \/>Cybele Mayes-Osterman<br \/>The U.S. embassy in Manama, the capital of Bahrain, warned all government employees and Americans across the Middle Eastern country to shelter in place.<br \/>&#8220;To the extent possible, remain in a secure structure, and stay away from windows,&#8221; the embassy warned in an April 7 security alert.<br \/>&#8220;Iran and its aligned terrorist militias may intend to target American universities in Bahrain.\u00a0 Iran has specifically threatened American universities across the Middle East.&#8221;<br \/>U.S. embassies have warned in recent days that Iran may target American universities campuses in <a href=https:\/\/iq.usembassy.gov\/security-alert-u-s-embassy-baghdad-iraq-march-29-2026\/ data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>Iraq<\/a>, <a href=https:\/\/kw.usembassy.gov\/security-alert-u-s-embassy-kuwait-april-1-2026\/ data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>Kuwait<\/a>, <a href=https:\/\/sa.usembassy.gov\/security-alert-u-s-embassy-riyadh-saudi-arabia-march-31-2026\/ data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>Saudi Arabia<\/a> and other U.S.-allied countries in the region.<br \/>Christopher Cann<br \/>President Donald Trump said he will not budge on his threat to carry out broad attacks on Iranian infrastructure if his Tuesday deadline is not met.<br \/>&#8220;8 p.m. is happening,&#8221; Trump told <a href=https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/live-news\/trump-iran-deadline-israel-hormuz-april-7 data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>Fox News host Bret Baier on Tuesday<\/a>, adding that if no momentum builds toward a deal &#8220;there is going to be an attack like they have not seen.&#8221;<br \/>Trump told the outlet that could change if negotiations move forward and there is something &#8220;concrete,&#8221; but said he &#8220;didn&#8217;t want to put odds on it.&#8221;<br \/>Kim Hjelmgaard<br \/>An Iranian official issued a video message that was shown on state TV and later posted on an official government <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/PadDolat\/status\/2041210640589586937?s=20\" target=_blank rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>social media account<\/a> calling on &#8220;all young people, athletes, artists, students and university students and their professors\u201d to form human chains around Iran&#8217;s power plants.<br \/>The official in question, Alireza Rahimi \u2212 Iran\u2019s deputy minister of youth and sports \u2212 made the comments shortly before President Donald Trump warned Iran&#8217;s leaders that &#8220;a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again&#8221; if the nation fails to agree a deal aimed at ending the war.<br \/>Iranians have formed human chains in the past around nuclear sites at times of heightened tensions with the West. Trump has threatened to strike Iran&#8217;s civilian power plants and other public infrastructure. Doing so could amount to a war crime under international legal standards. Trump has brushed off those concerns.<br \/>Christopher Cann<br \/>Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said &#8220;more than 14 million proud Iranians have so far registered to sacrifice their lives to defend Iran.&#8221;<br \/>&#8220;I too have been, am, and will remain devoted to giving my life for Iran,&#8221; <a href=https:\/\/x.com\/drpezeshkian\/status\/2041443063655248199 data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>he in a post on X<\/a>.<br \/>The comments from Pezeshkian, who has been in power since 2024, come as President Donald Trump vowed that a &#8220;whole civilization will die tonight&#8221; if Iran does not make a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.<br \/>Christopher Cann<br \/>Vice President JD Vance said while there are delays in transmitting messages between negotiators, he is &#8220;confident&#8221; Tehran will respond to the demands of the United States by President Donald Trump&#8217;s Tuesday night deadline.<br \/>&#8220;We feel confident that we\u2019re going to get a response, whether it\u2019s positive or negative,&#8221; he said while speaking in Budapest. &#8220;I hope they make the right response.&#8221;<br \/>\u201cThe ball is in the Iranian\u2019s court,&#8221; Vance added.<br \/>Francesca Chambers<br \/>Vance said at his news conference that Iran faces a choice and can go down one of two pathways after the conflict.<br \/>The first option is for Iran to be a &#8220;normal country&#8221; that does not fund terrorism. The second one pathway is one in which its leaders &#8220;don&#8217;t come to the table&#8221; and Tehran&#8217;s economic situation further deteriorates.<br \/>&#8220;The nature of the conclusion is ultimately up to the Iranians,&#8221; Vance said of the negotiations that are underway. &#8220;Militarily, it frankly doesn&#8217;t matter one way or the other to us. It&#8217;s fundamentally a question of what does this look like afterwards,&#8221; he added.<br \/>Christopher Cann<br \/>The U.S. carried out multiple strikes on the island early Tuesday morning, according to <a href=https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/us-strikes-military-targets-irans-kharg-island-us-official-says-2026-04-07\/ data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>Reuters<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/livecoverage\/iran-war-2026-trump-deadline-latest-news\/card\/u-s-strikes-more-than-50-military-targets-on-kharg-island-76FFQ9iA82RxlBOtJaPD?gaa_at=eafs&#038;gaa_n=AWEtsqcJIJ_FcO_FxPzmIMVaAdq8QA-6eoTdLm1VtNChsEZVEUJc4SA6OqswFQ5lYyc%3D&#038;gaa_ts=69d50497&#038;gaa_sig=M9KgN1xtsaePS3eR9ZNvyHJhHK-mGKdWJ_sioyXcfWJ5DBE0rnH0kvT_iRrdN5hQGzZJRrPpW6P2kPAouRnxEA%3D%3D\" data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>Wall Street Journal<\/a>, citing officials. American forces in March carried out strikes on the island where Iran&#8217;s main oil export terminal is located.<br \/>When asked about newly reported strikes on Kharg Island, Vice President JD Vance said the action does not represent a shift in strategy.<br \/>&#8220;We were going to strike some military targets on\u00a0Kharg\u00a0Island, and I believe we have done so,&#8221; Vance while speaking in Budapest on Tuesday. &#8220;I don\u2019t think the news on Kharg Island represents a change in strategy or represents any change from the president of the United States.&#8221;<br \/>Christopher Cann<br \/>Vice President JD Vance expressed hope that a deal can be reached between the U.S. and Iran before President Donald Trump&#8217;s 8 p.m. deadline.<br \/>\u201cI hope that they\u2019re smart,&#8221; Vance said, speaking during a visit to Budapest. &#8220;The president has set a deadline for about 12 hours from now. We\u2019re going to find out. But there\u2019s going to be a lot of negotiation between now and then, and I am hopeful that it gets to a good resolution.\u201d<br \/>Vance said the U.S. has &#8220;largely accomplished&#8221; its military objectives and that &#8220;very shortly this war is going to conclude.&#8221;<br \/>Andrea Riquier<br \/>Financial markets were choppy ahead of Trump\u2019s 8 PM ET deadline.<br \/>Oil bounced, with a barrel of Brent crude trading near $110 just before 9 AM ET, after being as low as $107 overnight.<br \/>Stocks looked set to open lower, and government bonds also sold off. The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note was more than 2 basis points higher. Bond yields rise when prices fall, and investors have been selling bonds in anticipation of higher inflation caused by the war.<br \/>The price of gasoline has popped, standing at $4.139 a gallon nationally at last check.<br \/>Francesca Chambers<br \/>Trump issued a stark warning to Iran on Tuesday morning, hours before his deadline for the country&#8217;s leaders to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, that a wave of expected U.S. military attacks on critical infrastructure would be debilitating and potentially unrecoverable for the nation.<br \/>&#8220;A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don\u2019t want that to happen, but it probably will,&#8221; Trump <a href=https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/116363336033995961 target=_blank rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>wrote in a April 7<\/a> social media post.<br \/>The president left the door open to a possible eleventh-hour deal with Iran to avoid an escalation, saying in his post that a group of officials the U.S. says it has been negotiating with privately are &#8220;smarter&#8221; and &#8220;less radicalized&#8221; than their predecessors.<br \/>&#8220;[M]aybe 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,&#8221; he wrote.<br \/>Michael Loria<br \/>A press briefing on Iran war operations has reportedly been scrapped ahead of a threatened major escalation in the conflict.\u00a0<br \/>The briefing was expected to happen at 8 a.m. at the Pentagon, 12 hours ahead of Trump\u2019s deadline for strikes on Iranian infrastructure. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were expected to lead the briefing.<br \/>Journalists at multiple outlets, including\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/idreesali114\/status\/2041317338029404222?s=20\" data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>Reuters<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/LibbeyDean_\/status\/2041313188126310595?s=20\" data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>NewsNation<\/a>, reported on the cancellation.<br \/>The Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment on why officials scrapped the briefing.<br \/>Michael Loria<br \/>Inflation will rise and economic growth across the world will slow as a result of the war with Iran, the\u00a0<a href=https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/middle-east\/war-middle-east-will-lead-slower-growth-higher-inflation-imf-chief-tells-reuters-2026-04-06\/ data-t-l=:b|z|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>leader of the International Monetary Fund<\/a>\u00a0told Reuters Monday.<br \/>The warning from the head of the global financial organization comes as Iran has leveraged its ability to block oil shipments through the\u00a0<a href=\/story\/news\/world\/2026\/03\/23\/strait-of-hormuz-trump-iran-deadline\/89282678007\/ data-t-l=:b|e|k|\u2691u class=gnt_lc_b_a>Strait of Hormuz<\/a>\u00a0to disrupt global fuel supplies. Global oil supply has shrunk by 13%, according to the IMF.\u00a0<br \/>Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the IMF, told Reuters that the fund expects to lower its global economic growth projections down from 3.3% in 2026 and 3.2% in 2027.\u00a0<br \/>&#8220;All roads now lead to higher prices and slower growth,&#8221; said Georgieva. The longer the war lasts, the worse the fund expects projections could become, according to the IMF.<br \/>Michael Loria<br \/>Trump has called his ultimatum to Iran the final chance to come to the negotiating table and make a deal to end the war. But the president\u2019s threats come after a string of earlier deadlines that he pushed back. Here&#8217;s a look:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/rss\/articles\/CBMiswFBVV95cUxNZWY0dHlGV3dtRmZRSzNLb3VVMmN5YVJuWVhaQ0MyZ2JLNVRyaG1LZjNIU3BlTVBHYXMxTW1KRzdyUlR2Y2xGR2QwN25hall5cncwRFZGdXNKMkV5X2NzTllpZzNCRjh1elNtLXFpQ0JRRlNEd0FQRjhZRTUwQlhfSzU5a0NuZ08yQTZQY0NicnNoc2NBMzhrWVlFU19XcG9vLXJvejd5RDJ5MGJ1aG04bnZ6Zw?oc=5\">source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>President Donald Trump announced the United States reached a ceasefire with Iran for two weeks after earlier threatening to destroy Iranian energy and transportation infrastructure and wipe out a &#8220;whole civilization.&#8221;\u00a0The pause came less than two hours before the 8 p.m. ET deadline Trump set for a deal. The agreement, the president said, will be [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":206893,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-206892","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world","8":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/206892","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=206892"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/206892\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/206893"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=206892"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=206892"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=206892"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}