President Trump said Sunday that a deal with Iran could be reached as soon as Monday, simultaneously threatening to destroy Iranian power plants and bridges by Tuesday if negotiations collapse.

“There’s a good chance” for a deal before the deadline, Trump told Axios Sunday. But if nothing is agreed upon by Tuesday, he warned, “I am blowing up everything over there.”

In a separate interview with Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst, Trump said Iranian negotiators had been granted amnesty to allow talks to continue unimpeded. The disclosure suggests active diplomatic back-channel engagement is underway even as Trump publicly threatens to strike Iranian infrastructure.

Hours before the interviews, Trump posted a warning to Truth Social naming specific targets. “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran,” he wrote. “JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah.”

The post followed a Saturday ultimatum in which Trump warned Iran it had 48 hours before severe consequences would follow.

The carrot-and-stick approach comes amid signals from the intelligence community that Iran may not be ready to yield. Reuters, citing three sources familiar with recent American intelligence assessments, reported Saturday that Iran is unlikely to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in the near term, because its stranglehold over the waterway represents the only significant leverage Tehran holds over Washington.

Iran has sought to exploit that leverage selectively. After initially announcing a complete closure of the Strait to all shipping, Tehran adjusted its position, saying vessels from countries it considers friendly would be permitted to pass. Ships linked to the United States or Israel remain barred.

That selective access has benefited several nations in recent days. Iraq thanked Iran Sunday for allowing tankers carrying Iraqi oil to transit the Strait, according to a statement from Baghdad’s Foreign Ministry. China confirmed Iran allowed three Chinese ships through the waterway last week, with a foreign ministry spokesperson expressing appreciation. A container ship belonging to French shipping group CMA CGM, three Omani-operated tankers, and a Japanese-owned gas carrier also passed through Friday, according to MarineTraffic vessel tracking data.

The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly 20% of the world’s seaborne oil supply. Commercial traffic through the waterway has fallen approximately 90% since the conflict began in late February.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)