The Day of Trump’s Final Ultimatum

The morning began with a dual-track escalation: Iranian Foreign Minister Araqchi and the IRGC warned of "surprises" and a war expanding beyond the region, while state media prioritized the second anniversary of President Raisi’s death. Concurrently, a New York Times report regarding an Israeli-US attempt on Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s home was circulated by editors to emphasize external threats of regime change. By midday, Speaker Qalibaf warned that the U.S. was preparing for a "new round of war," a sentiment reinforced by President Trump, who shifted from claiming "no hurry" to declaring negotiations were in their "final stages." Trump issued a specific ultimatum: a deal must be signed, or the U.S. would "finish the job." The evening saw direct military friction as CENTCOM confirmed boarding and diverting an Iranian-flagged tanker in the Gulf. Despite this physical escalation, reports emerged of a new U.S. text sent to Tehran via Pakistani mediators, with Trump indicating he would wait a few days for a response to avoid casualties.