US President Donald Trump issued a stark warning Tuesday that “a whole civilization will die tonight” as his self-imposed deadline for a deal with Iran approached, raising fears of imminent escalation.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the coming hours could mark a turning point in global history.
“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” he wrote.
He added that what he described as “complete and total regime change” in Iran could open the door to a different future, suggesting the outcome of the standoff would be decided within hours.
“We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the world,” Trump said, adding that “47 years of extortion, corruption, and death will finally end.”
The comments came ahead of a deadline set by Washington for Tehran to agree to a ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy chokepoint.
Earlier, Trump warned that US forces could target key Iranian infrastructure, including power stations and bridges, if the deadline — set for 8 p.m. EDT (0000 GMT Wednesday) — passes without an agreement.
The warning follows weeks of escalating conflict since Israel and the United States launched coordinated strikes against Iran on Feb. 28. More than 1,300 people have been killed in the fighting, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to earlier reports, though Iranian authorities have not updated casualty figures in recent days.
Iran has responded with waves of drone and missile attacks targeting Israel as well as US-linked positions across Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf states, causing casualties, infrastructure damage, and disruption to global markets and aviation.
With no clear sign of a breakthrough, the region remains on edge as the deadline approaches, amid growing concerns that a wider regional war could be imminent.
