Iran Rejects Ceasefire Offers, Trump Threatens Country's Destruction

The Iranian regime demanded the permanent end of the war; the lifting of sanctions and reconstruction efforts, as well as protocols for the safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the state-run IRNA agency. The rejection is the latest setback to attempts to end a one-month conflict that has triggered a global energy crisis. Axios reported that Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey are pushing for a possible 45-day ceasefire to prevent US attacks on Iran's energy infrastructure. Trump also dismissed accusations that destroying Iranian bridges and power plants would constitute a war crime under the Geneva Conventions. "I'm not concerned," Trump replied. President Donald Trump intensified his threats this Monday, April 6, before the deadline he set for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face new attacks against civilian infrastructure. "The entire country can be wiped out in one night, and that night could be tomorrow," he warned at a press conference at the White House on Monday, in an apparent reference to his ultimatum, which expires at 8:00 PM on Tuesday, April 7. "They don't want to say 'I surrender,' as the expression goes, but they will, and if they don't, they won't have any bridges," Trump commented to reporters and added that it was "highly unlikely" that he would extend the deadline for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz again. What does Iran demand from Trump to end the war? Iran conveyed through Pakistan its rejection of a ceasefire proposal. "Even if certain civilian infrastructure qualifies as a military target, international humanitarian law prohibits attacks if they may cause excessive civilian harm." Which ships DO pass through the Strait of Hormuz? 15 ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz with permission from Iran over a 24-hour period, according to the semi-official news agency Fars, which added that this figure remains 90 percent lower than that recorded before the start of the conflict. "Do you know what a war crime is? Having a nuclear weapon, letting a sick country with a demented leadership have a nuclear weapon, that is a war crime." The UN Secretary-General expressed being "alarmed" by Trump's message, said spokesman Stéphane Dujarric. Crossing that critical psychological threshold poses a political risk for the Trump administration and Republicans, as consumers are increasingly concerned about the cost of living ahead of the November midterm elections. He gave no further details about the ownership or destination of the ships. Two tankers carrying liquefied natural gas from Qatar appear to have abandoned attempts to leave the Persian Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz, delaying what would have been the first exports to buyers outside the region since the war began. In the United States, average retail gasoline prices have exceeded $4 per gallon for the first time since 2022.