According to an Associated Press (AP) report, the Iranian government has called on all “young people, athletes, artists, students, and their mentors” to form a “human chain” around power plants, as the deadline for an ultimatum issued by US President Donald Trump to Tehran approaches. In a statement, Ali Reza Rahimi, Secretary of the Supreme Council for Youth and Adolescents of the government, emphasized: “Regardless of political views or tastes, power plants, which are our national wealth and investment, belong to the future of Iran and Iranian youth.”
AP notes that Iran has previously organized “human chains” around its nuclear facilities during periods of heightened tensions with the West. Additionally, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has also urged parents to send their children to guard checkpoints that have repeatedly been targeted by airstrikes from the US and Israel. These measures are being taken to bolster the country’s defense against threats from the US regime.
The next deadline given by Trump to Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz and reach an agreement with the US expires on Tuesday at 8:00 PM Eastern Time (Wednesday at 5:00 AM Tashkent time). The US president wrote on his Truth Social network on April 5: “Tuesday in Iran will be both Power Plant Day and Bridges Day. This has never happened before!!! Open the damn strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll live in hell. You’ll see!”
Speaking at a White House press conference on Monday, Trump reiterated that he had issued a final ultimatum to Tehran. He stated: “We’re giving them until tomorrow 8:00 PM Eastern Time. After that, they won’t have any bridges left. They won’t have any power plants. Stone Age… I’m planning total destruction by 00:00.” In response to journalists’ concerns that threats to destroy Iranian bridges and power plants could be considered war crimes, Trump replied: “That doesn’t bother me. I hope I don’t have to do it… We will never allow Iran to have nuclear weapons.”
On April 7, Trump posted again on Truth Social, declaring that “tonight an entire civilization will disappear” (most likely referring to Iran). He wrote: “Tonight an entire civilization will disappear and will never be restored. I don’t want this to happen, but maybe it will.” The US president expressed hope that by the end of today, “smarter and less radical sensible people” in Iran would reach an agreement with Washington, adding: “47 years of extortion, corruption, and death, finally, will end. God protect the great Iranian people under his shelter!”
Several days ago, Axios reported that the US and Iran are discussing terms for a possible 45-day ceasefire with a group of regional mediators. Negotiations are being conducted through mediators from Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey. According to the publication, the Trump administration has presented several proposals to Tehran. Sources from Axios indicate that the agreement under discussion involves two stages: the first stage includes a 45-day possible ceasefire, during which a final war cessation agreement is planned; the second stage is a final agreement to end the war.
According to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, Tehran rejected Washington’s proposal on Monday and stressed that it favors a complete and unequivocal cessation of the war. IRNA reports that Iran, in response, presented a 10-point plan of its conditions via Pakistan for concluding a peace treaty. These conditions include a full halt to military actions in the region, including Israeli attacks in Lebanon, establishing safe navigation protocols in the Strait of Hormuz, a complete lifting of sanctions, and payment of reparations for post-war reconstruction of the country.
Source: www.gazeta.uz