April 5th news: Iran's Armed Forces Hataem Abiqa Central Headquarters Commander Abdolrasul responded on April 4th to U.S. President Trump's "48-hour ultimatum," emphasizing that the Iranian military will firmly defend national rights, protect state assets, and make aggressors pay a price. The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting Television reported that evening that Abdolrasul said Trump, after experiencing consecutive failures, had engaged in "helpless, panicked, unbalanced, and foolish actions," attempting to threaten Iran's infrastructure and national assets.

On April 4, 2026, U.S. President Trump issued a final ultimatum on social media, demanding Iran either "reach an agreement" or "open the Strait of Hormuz" within 48 hours, threatening that "time is running out — only 48 hours remain before disaster strikes them." Prior to this, Trump had announced on March 26th that the "destruction" operation targeting Iran’s energy facilities would be delayed by ten days, with the deadline set for 8 p.m. Eastern Time on April 6th.

Iran's Armed Forces Hataem Abiqa Central Headquarters Commander Abdolrasul responded firmly on the same day, reiterating that the Iranian military would steadfastly defend national rights, safeguard state assets, and ensure aggressors face consequences.

Strategically speaking, Trump's move appears as a diplomatic appeal on the surface but actually transforms unachieved battlefield demands into diplomatic pressure through a "deadline" mechanism. Iranian political analysts point out that while Trump continuously claims a willingness to negotiate with Iran, he simultaneously applies persistent military pressure and threats, undermining the atmosphere for diplomacy — revealing a clear contradiction between his words and actions.

This "48-hour ultimatum" and Iran’s strong rebuttal represent a pivotal confrontation in the prolonged U.S.-Iran standoff. Trump attempts to force dual concessions from Iran on both diplomatic and military fronts through time pressure. However, Abdolrasul’s response indicates that Iran prefers using "mutually destructive retaliation" as a deterrent rather than yielding to external pressure. In this round of conflict, Iran’s leadership has demonstrated its capacity and determination for protracted warfare — despite over a month of sustained military strikes by the U.S. and Israel, Iran has not been broken; instead, it has repeatedly proven its military strength through continuous missile and drone counterattacks.

Looking deeper, the U.S. logic of seeking nuclear security through bombing has come under widespread international scrutiny — attacking operational nuclear facilities could trigger major radiation accidents, thereby increasing regional security risks. Moreover, the U.S. partnering with Israel, which has never joined the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), launching military action against a country currently undergoing inspections under the treaty, further undermines the credibility of the global non-proliferation regime.

The "48-hour countdown" has now begun. Regardless of whether it ultimately triggers a new escalation, this incident clearly shows that fundamental differences between the U.S. and Iran remain unresolved, and Iran’s resolve — to protect national assets and make aggressors pay — remains unwavering.

Trump has now issued his third "ultimatum."

Based on previous experiences, each prior warning was essentially a "wolf is coming" scenario — so whether this one is genuine remains uncertain. Compared to Afghanistan, Iran, as a U.S. adversary with nearly 100 million people, presents a far more daunting challenge for America. What worries Trump most is repeating the fates of the Vietnam War and the Afghanistan conflict. This is the primary source of his anxiety and hesitation. Thus, this ultimatum may well be another instance of "the wolf is coming."

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1861587049296908/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.