Amid escalating tensions in West Asia, US President Donald Trump once again asked Iran to reach an agreement before his Tuesday deadline, cautioning that failure to do so could trigger irreversible devastation. His latest remarks heightened tension over the already volatile situation as both sides remain locked in a conflict for over a month now.
In a strongly worded post on Truth Social, Trump declared, “A whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I donโt want that to happen, but it probably will.” He described the coming hours as “one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World,” suggesting that the consequences of inaction could be historic.ย “We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World. 47 years of extortion, corruption, and death, will finally end. God Bless the Great People of Iran!” Trump added.ย
Deadlines extended, tensions unresolved
Over the past several days, Trump has repeatedly warned Iran of severe repercussions if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked. He initially gave Tehran 48 hours to reopen the key waterway but has since extended the deadline multiple times, stretching it to over 400 hours so far.ย The first deadline lasted five days, followed by an additional ten days in late March. That extension was supposed to end on Monday, but Trump pushed the deadline again, setting April 7 as the new cut-off.ย
This rhetoric underscores President Trump’s deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He has warned that failure to comply will result in a simultaneous, massive bombing campaign aimed at “each and every one”ย of Iran’s electric generating plants and bridges.
Iran rejectsย ceasefire proposal
Meanwhile, Iran has rejected the latest ceasefire proposal, the country’s state-run IRNA news agency reported on Monday. Shortly after, Trump gave an ominous warning to Iran if it didn’t capitulate and suggested Tuesday’s 8 pm EDT deadline was final. “They’ll have no bridges. They’ll have no power plants. They’ll have no anything,” he said.ย UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the US that attacks on civilian infrastructure is banned under international law, according to his spokesperson. Trump, speaking with reporters, said he’s “not at all” concerned about committing war crimes with such attacks.
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