United States President Donald Trump has given Iran a 48-hour ultimatum to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face what he called “all Hell” reigning down on the country, with the deadline lapsing on Monday 6 April 2026. The warning landed on Saturday as US forces rescued both crew members of a downed F-15E fighter jet shot down over Iran on Friday, the first US military aircraft lost since Washington and Israel opened strikes on Iranian targets on 28 February.
The standoff matters in Johannesburg and Cape Town because roughly a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz, and any closure would spike Brent crude, weaken the rand and lift the April petrol price at the pump.
What Trump said in his Iran 48 hour ultimatum
Trump posted on Truth Social on Saturday afternoon US time that “time is running out, 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them” if Tehran did not reopen the strait and return to the negotiating table.
This is the second time in two weeks that Trump has set a 48-hour clock, after a first ultimatum on 21 March was pushed back twice following what the White House described as productive back-channel contact.
Who was on the downed F-15E
The US Central Command confirmed on Sunday that both American aviators from the F-15E Strike Eagle had been recovered alive after a 36-hour search operation across rugged terrain in central Iran.
Iran’s military said it had shot down the jet using a surface-to-air system, its first confirmed downing of a US aircraft since the conflict began 36 days ago.
Swisher Post has submitted a request for comment to the US Embassy in Pretoria.
Why the Strait of Hormuz matters for South Africa
South Africa imports most of its crude oil, and a Hormuz closure would feed directly into the Central Energy Fund’s Basic Fuel Price calculation.
An extended disruption could push Brent crude well above current levels and add several rands per litre to the petrol and diesel price in the next monthly adjustment.
The rand, already sensitive to risk-off moves, would likely weaken against the dollar if the shipping lane closes.
Iran’s response to the ultimatum
General Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi, speaking from Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, called Trump’s threat “a helpless, nervous, unbalanced and stupid action” and warned that “the gates of hell will open for you”.
Tehran has not indicated any intention to reopen the strait before the deadline.
What happens next
The 48-hour deadline expires on Monday 6 April. Markets open in Johannesburg on Tuesday after the Easter long weekend, which means South African investors and motorists will get their first pricing signal on Tuesday morning.
The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources is expected to announce the April mid-month fuel price adjustment in the coming days.
