EditDefiant Iran rejects ceasefire as Trump’s deadline looms
As the clock ticks down abroad, the aggressive posture of the U.S. President is amplifying internal discontent back home
Iran showed no sign of yielding to U.S. President Donald Trump’s ultimatum to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by the end of Tuesday or face devastating strikes on its civilian infrastructure, setting the stage for what could be the sharpest escalation yet in the ongoing Middle East conflict.
A senior Iranian source told Reuters that Tehran has flatly rejected a temporary ceasefire proposal relayed through intermediaries. Any path to lasting peace, the source said, would require the U.S. and Israel to halt all strikes, provide ironclad guarantees against future attacks, and compensate Iran for damages inflicted. Tehran also intends to retain full control of the strategic waterway and impose fees on vessels passing through it as part of any final settlement.
Pakistan’s mediation efforts are reportedly at a “critical stage,” according to Iranian officials, but there was no indication of a breakthrough as Trump’s self-imposed deadline – 8 p.m. Washington time (midnight GMT, 3:30 a.m. in Tehran) – drew closer.
Trump has warned he would “unleash hell” by destroying every bridge and power plant in Iran within four hours if the Islamic Republic does not end its blockade of Gulf oil shipments. Iran, in turn, has vowed to retaliate by targeting infrastructure in U.S.-allied Gulf states, whose populations could face uninhabitable conditions without power or water.
The brinkmanship comes as global markets remained largely frozen, investors unwilling to wager on whether Trump would follow through or once again dial back his threats, as he has done in previous standoffs.
Yet even as the clock ticks down abroad, the aggressive posture is amplifying internal discontent back home in the United States. Trump’s latest gamble has exposed deep divisions within his own party and across the American public, with critics arguing that the president’s high-stakes rhetoric risks dragging the U.S. into another costly Middle East quagmire at a time when many voters are focused on domestic economic pressures.
Congressional Republicans have quietly voiced concerns about the potential for skyrocketing oil prices and supply-chain disruptions that could hit American consumers and businesses hard, while Democratic leaders have accused Trump of reckless saber-rattling that prioritizes confrontation over diplomacy.
Public sentiment appears increasingly wary. Recent polling and social media chatter reflect a growing fatigue among Americans tired of foreign entanglements, with many questioning whether the administration’s threats are more about projecting strength than delivering a coherent strategy. Business groups and energy analysts have warned that any sustained disruption in the Gulf could spike gasoline prices and inflation – precisely the kind of economic pain that fuelled voter frustration in past cycles.
Even some Trump allies in the defence establishment are said to be uneasy about the rapid timeline and lack of clear exit ramps, fearing it could undermine U.S. credibility if the deadline passes without decisive action or a face-saving off-ramp.
Overnight, Israel pressed its own campaign, striking a synagogue in Tehran – an attack Iran described as targeting one of its ancient Jewish holy sites during Passover. Footage showed debris littered with Hebrew texts. Homayoun Sameh, a Jewish community representative in Iran’s parliament, condemned the strike in state media: “The Zionist regime did not spare the community during Jewish holidays and attacked one of our ancient and holy synagogues. The synagogue building was completely destroyed and our Torah scrolls were left under the rubble.” Israel’s military declined immediate comment.
Iran’s Jewish population, one of the largest in the Middle East outside Israel, numbers in the thousands and has deep historical roots. Separately, Israel issued a stark warning via social media in Persian, urging Iranians to avoid trains and railway lines: “Your presence on trains and near railway lines endangers your life.”
Inside Iran, ordinary citizens expressed a mix of defiance and quiet desperation. “I hope it is another bluff by Trump,” said Shima, a 37-year-old from Isfahan, speaking by phone. Like many Iranians interviewed, she voiced frustration with the hardline clerical leadership but feared the human and economic toll of destroyed infrastructure: “People being unable to build the future of the country is another matter.”
With Reuters, with additional content by EUalive.
Caption: Iranians drive past a large political billboard displaying Iran’s national flags at Valiasr Square in Tehran, Iran, 6 April 2026. The US president has given Iran a 48-hour deadline to reach a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH
Updated: April 7, 2026 - 13:41
