TACO sets new deadline for Iran

President Donald Trump appeared to set a new deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, writing on social media this afternoon, “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!”

The post comes after he wrote just hours earlier that “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah.”

“And if they don’t do something by Tuesday evening, they won’t have any power plants and they won’t have any bridges standing,” he added. Some context: Targeting critical civilian infrastructure, which includes power plants, could be considered a war crime.

CNN

Iran responds to TACO's ultimatum. 

Tehran has responded to President Donald Trump’s latest threats to strike power infrastructure if traffic in the Strait of Hormuz remains constricted, with a senior Iranian official saying the critical channel will fully reopen only after financial damages from the war are “fully compensated.”

Mehdi Tabatabaei, the deputy for communications at the Iranian president’s office, said Trump’s profanity-laced ultimatum this morning reflected his “sheer desperation and rage.”

Meanwhile, details are emerging about last-ditch talks between Oman and Iran on “possible options” for fully opening the Strait of Hormuz. An Omani source said the talks have been underway for the past two weeks and are focused on putting a “safe passage protocol” in place to allow commercial shipping access.

CNN