TEHRAN, APRIL 5, 2026 (Agencies)Tehran has rejected what it described as a “helpless and nervous” ultimatum issued by Donald Trump, as tensions in the Middle East escalated sharply following fresh attacks and a fire at a major oil facility in Kuwait.
Iranian officials dismissed the 48-hour warning from Washington, in which Trump threatened that “all hell will rain down” if Tehran fails to reach a peace deal or reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
The ultimatum comes amid intensifying conflict between Iran, the United States, and regional allies. Tehran has maintained a defiant stance, refusing to comply with US demands and tightening its control over key shipping routes.
Meanwhile, a drone attack triggered a fire at Kuwait’s Shuwaikh oil sector complex, highlighting the widening regional fallout of the conflict. Kuwaiti authorities confirmed that emergency teams were deployed to contain the blaze, though no casualties were immediately reported.
The attack is part of a broader pattern of Iranian retaliation targeting Gulf infrastructure, following sustained US and Israeli strikes on Iranian military and industrial sites.
Global concern is mounting as the threatens international energy supplies, with the Strait of Hormuz—through which a significant portion of the world’s oil passes—remaining at the center of the standoff.
Diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the crisis have so far failed, raising fears of a wider regional war with severe economic and humanitarian consequences.
