Today afternoon, during a White House press briefing, Trump issued a stark threat: if Iran fails to reach an agreement, the U.S. will destroy all of Iran's critical infrastructure nationwide—including every bridge and power station—by midnight tomorrow.
At a White House press conference on April 6 local time, Trump delivered an exceptionally harsh warning against Iran. He stated that if Iran does not "surrender" or reach a deal by 8 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, April 7, U.S. forces will destroy all of Iran’s bridges and power plants within four hours afterward. At its core, this statement reflects extreme pressure tactics; however, there is a clear contradiction between his rhetoric and actual actions, raising widespread speculation about his true intentions.
Although Trump’s tone was uncompromising, his underlying objective appears to be economic pressure—specifically, the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which could push U.S. gasoline prices above $4 per gallon, further intensifying inflationary pressures. Yet his actual conduct has been inconsistent:
“Deadline” repeatedly postponed: From the initial March 26 deadline, to April 6, and now to April 7 in this latest threat—this marks Trump’s third postponement of the deadline, reflecting internal contradictions and ambivalence.
“Fight while negotiating” strategy: Despite the conflict having entered its 38th day, Trump claimed at the press event that Iran had “positive and willing participants,” suggesting negotiations are still ongoing. This “maximum pressure” approach—using military threats to force concessions—stands in sharp contrast with Iran’s two key cards: control over the Strait of Hormuz and uranium enriched to 60% purity.
In response to the threats, Iran showed no sign of backing down. Iran’s military warned that any attack on its infrastructure would result in the destruction of all U.S. and Israeli assets in the Middle East.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson has labeled this move as “incitement to war crimes and crimes against humanity,” stating that any aggression will be met with “an eye for an eye” retaliation.
Iran’s Supreme Leader has reiterated that the country will continue blocking the Strait of Hormuz—a crucial strategic lever. In retaliation, Iran has announced plans to establish a “new order” in the strait through measures such as imposing “passage fees” on ships.
Trump’s latest “destructive” threat exemplifies the classic “maximum pressure” negotiation tactic: leveraging the massive risk of war to compel Iran to make significant concessions on nuclear issues and control of the strait. However, rather than intimidating Iran, this move has forced Tehran to reveal all its cards, pushing the situation into a dangerous “all-in” standoff. This reckless escalation through verbal posturing has not resolved the crisis—it has instead driven the conflict to the brink of real danger.
As for U.S. fuel prices, just now we saw that a gas station in Quebec, Canada, displayed gasoline prices at 191.9 Canadian dollars per hundred liters.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861760868059148/
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