US President Donald Trump has extended his self-imposed deadline for Iran by 24 hours to make a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face devastating infrastructure attacks.
In a cryptic post on Truth Social, Trump gave the new deadline as Tuesday, 8 PM ET, which translates to 0000 GMT or 5:30 AM IST on Wednesday.
The new deadline would mean another day for Tehran to attempt to placate the US leader or risk him following through on a threat to destroy the country's power plants and bridges.
Iran has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane, a vital route for the world's oil and gas, since the start of the US-Israeli bombing campaign on February 28.
Trump's threat to attack Iran's power plants and bridges has put pressure on the country, which is facing a fuel and gas crisis due to the blockade.
Many countries are facing a fuel and gas crisis, which is driving up oil prices worldwide and putting pressure on Trump in a vital mid-term election year in the US.
Trump has given Iranian negotiators 'immunity from death' and said they have conceded that Tehran would not move ahead with the development of nuclear weapons.
