In a new turnaround he is accustomed to, Donald Trump has stated that the United States would leave Iran “very soon”, in “two or three weeks”, regardless of whether an agreement is reached, and that the Strait of Hormuz blocked by the Islamic Republic was no longer his problem.
After more than a month of conflict, the war in the Middle East, which shakes the global economy and has caused thousands of deaths, shows no signs of de-escalation on Wednesday, despite diplomatic negotiations. Tuesday, March 31, was marked by widespread strikes on Iran and a warning from the Revolutionary Guards, the ideological army of the Islamic Republic, to American high-tech companies established in the region.
The American president, on the other hand, continues to have mixed messages: he had promised to “annihilate” the strategic Iranian island of Kharg and other targets if an agreement was not reached “quickly”, but has since backtracked.
Trump’s statement on Wednesday
“All I have to do is leave Iran and we will do it very soon,” Donald Trump declared. He then mentioned a “two, maybe three weeks” deadline, and ultimately, according to him, whether an agreement is reached with the Islamic Republic is “irrelevant.”
“We will leave very soon. And if France or another country wants to have their oil or gas, they will go straight through the Strait of Hormuz (…) and they will deal with it on their own. I think it will actually be a very safe place, but we have nothing to do with it,” he continued.
He had already stated that the United States “would no longer be there to help” countries whose oil supply depends on this strategic strait, blocked by Iran since the conflict began. The White House has announced that Donald Trump will address the nation this Wednesday evening at 9 p.m. to “provide new important information on Iran.”
18 companies accused of spying by the Revolutionary Guards
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on the other hand, remains firm: “The campaign is not over (…) we will continue to crush the terrorist regime, strengthen security zones around us, and achieve our goals,” he said in a televised address.
Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian demanded “essential conditions” to end the war, particularly “necessary guarantees to prevent the repetition of aggression,” financial compensation, and a cessation of hostilities on all fronts.
Meanwhile, the Revolutionary Guards listed 18 American companies including Google, Apple, Meta, and Tesla, accusing them of “espionage” and threatening to “destroy” their premises in retaliation for any new “assassinations” of officials in Iran.
Several explosions in the center of Tehran
American Defense Minister Pete Hegseth stated that the next few days would be “decisive,” while assuring that discussions with Iran “are strengthening.” “I receive messages directly from (U.S. Special Envoy Steve) Witkoff, as before, and that does not mean we are in negotiations,” said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Al Jazeera.
In the evening, several explosions were heard in the center of Tehran and according to Iranian media, two large steel complexes were hit. The Iranian government had earlier indicated that a pharmaceutical company and a desalination plant on the Qeshm island had been affected.
The European Union called on Iran to ensure “freedom of navigation” in the Strait of Hormuz, as an Iranian parliamentary committee approved a project to impose passage rights on ships passing through the strait, including a “passage ban” for the United States and Israel.
“Our lives have become a nightmare”
In Lebanon, the Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday night that Israeli strikes had killed seven people, five in Beirut and two south of the capital. A “high commander” of Hezbollah and a “high-ranking terrorist” were targeted in the Beirut area, according to the Israeli army.
In the Lebanese capital, over a thousand people fleeing the bombs found refuge in tents under the stands of the sports city. “We were living like kings in our homes. Our lives have become a nightmare,” explained Khodr Salem, a merchant who moves with crutches. Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz stated that his country intends to occupy part of southern Lebanon once the war is over, with Beirut condemning a “new occupation” of the country.
