OAN Staff Katherine Mosack and Brooke Mallory
2:17 PM – Monday, April 6, 2026
After President Donald Trump posted a blunt ultimatum on Truth Social on Easter Sunday — demanding that Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday and warning that failure to comply would bring “all hell” raining down — Iran responded by threatening a “devastating and widespread” retaliation if the U.S. carries out new strikes over the closure.
“If attacks on civilian targets are repeated, the next stages of our offensive and retaliatory operations will be much more devastating and widespread,” Iran’s central military command said in a message, which was shared by Iranian state media on Monday.
The threat came shortly after Trump posted on Truth Social Sunday, telling Iran’s leaders: “Open the F******’ Strait, you crazy b*****ds, or you’ll be living in Hell — JUST WATCH!”
The assertive Sunday message followed another on Saturday, in which Trump gave the regime “48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them.” This deadline would land on the Monday after Easter at 8:00 P.M. ET.
President Trump signaled a potential shift toward diplomacy with Iran’s new leadership following the delivery of ten oil tankers to the United States last month, a gesture the administration described as a positive overture.
While acknowledging this “gift” of energy supplies, the president has still continuously downplayed American dependence on the Persian Gulf for domestic energy needs. Rather, he has consistently pressured international allies to take a more active role in the multi-national effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, the current geopolitical friction follows a temporary de-escalation that began on March 23rd, when the White House paused planned strikes on Iranian infrastructure, including power plants and energy facilities. This pause was initially attributed to “very good and productive conversations” with Tehran.
The moratorium on military action was then subsequently extended to April 6th, as a direct response to the passage of the oil-carrying vessels through the strategic waterway, though the recent expiration of that deadline has returned the focus to Trump’s ultimatum for a full reopening of the Strait.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has also vowed to intensify strikes against regional oil and civilian infrastructure should the United States and Israel proceed with further military escalation. This warning follows a series of weekend attacks on petrochemical plants in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Kuwait — all critical American allies in the Middle East — for which the IRGC has already claimed responsibility.
Tehran further signaled its intent to systematically target U.S. economic interests throughout the region if the Trump administration moves forward with its threatened combat operations.
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