4 Days Before April 6 Hormuz Deadline — Iran Shows No Sign of Opening Strait

With four days remaining before Trump's April 6 deadline for full Hormuz reopening, Iran showed no signs of compliance as of April 2. The IRGC maintained its 'Tehran toll booth' selective passage regime, allowing only ships flagged by China, Russia, India, Iraq, Pakistan, Malaysia, and Thailand to transit — at a cost of several million dollars per vessel. The IEA reiterated that the global buffer from SPR releases would expire by mid-April, triggering what analysts are calling the 'April oil cliff.' Trump had publicly stated on March 27 he would strike Iranian power plants if Hormuz was not fully open by April 6. The 35-nation London conference failed to produce a binding agreement. Iran's 5 conditions for a permanent war end — including Hormuz sovereignty recognition — remained incompatible with Trump's unconditional-surrender stance.