+ March 21. Barely a month after the initial US and Israeli attacks on Iran, Trump vowed that the US would "attack and destroy" Iran’s power plants - a war crime, according to many observers - if the regime did not allow ships to pass in and out of oil ports in the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. Iran told a UN representative the strait was open to all but "enemies."
+ March 23. Shortly before the deadline expired, Trump stated that constructive negotiations had been held and gave Iran five more days.
+ March 26. Trump added ten days to his deadline, to April 6, stating that Iran had asked for more time.
+ April 1. Trump claimed that Iran had asked the US for a ceasefire, but that he would only consider it if Iran opened the strait. Iran denied this. Two days later he said the US could easily open the strait if it only had "a little more time."
+ April 4. Trump wrote on social media that Iran has "48 hours before all hell breaks loose."
+ April 5. Trump wrote an angry post on social media: "Open the damn strait, you crazy bastards, or you will live in hell." He followed it up with what can be interpreted as a nailed-down deadline: "Tuesday, 8 pm, East Coast time" - two o'clock in the morning on Wednesday, April 8, local time in Sweden.
