President Donald Trump has set deadlines, made demands, and issued threats over the course of the five-week joint US-Israeli war against Iran. But seldom have they been this explicit.
The new round of strikes against Iran will be devastating. They will begin at 20:00, Washington DC time (01:00 GMT) on Tuesday. Within four hours, every bridge and power plant in the nation will be decimated.
Very little is off-limits, Trump said on Monday.
To avoid this fate, according to the president, Iran has to make a deal that's acceptable to me. A component of the agreement should include free traffic of oil through the Strait of Hormuz.
As the final hours tick down, there has been little indication that Iran is ready to agree to Trump's ultimatum. They've rejected a temporary ceasefire and issued their own list of demands, which a US official described as maximalist.
This places the American president in a delicate position. If there is no agreement, Trump could extend his deadline – for the fourth time in the past three weeks.
But backing away after such detailed threats could undercut his credibility as the war grinds on.
It's possible Iran, and the rest of the world, could conclude that despite America's military might, it is not negotiating from a clear position of strength.
Trump insisted during his press conference on Monday, stating, We won. They are militarily defeated. He noted that Iran still poses a challenge with its capability to deter oil tankers in the Strait.
Even if the latest military operation showcased American precision, it underscores the risks that US forces encounter in Iran. Trump acknowledged that while he can unleash military power against Iran, closing the Strait only requires efforts from one terrorist.
Even in this late hour, however, Trump holds out hope of a breakthrough, stating, We have an active, willing participant on the other side. They would like to be able to make a deal. Time is running short with tensions at a peak and potential consequences looming.
