Trump Warns Iran of Civilization's Destruction by Deadline

U.S. President Donald Trump issued a stark warning on Tuesday that Iran's "whole civilization" could be destroyed if the country fails to meet his demands by an 8 p.m. ET deadline, escalating tensions in the six-week-old conflict that began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28. The threat came amid reports of ongoing U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iranian infrastructure, including bridges and railways, as Vice President JD Vance departed for mediated talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, aimed at securing a resolution.

Trump's online post, made about 12 hours before the deadline, stated, "A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don't want that to happen, but it probably will." White House officials described the rhetoric as a negotiating tactic to pressure Tehran into concessions, with one anonymous aide noting it was designed to create leverage through unpredictability. The demands include reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran closed in response to Israeli operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, ending support for regional militant proxies, and addressing concerns over Tehran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Failure to comply could lead...