Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
President Donald Trump warned on Tuesday night that “a whole civilization will die” in Iran if the country fails to heed his ultimatum to comply with US war demands.
“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Trump did not provide details, but he has previously said the US military could bomb Iran’s bridges, power plants, and other civilian infrastructure into the “Stone Age.”
He also announced a deadline of midnight GMT on Tuesday for Iran to end its de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow and strategic waterway used to transport oil and other commodities.
On Monday, Trump said a temporary ceasefire proposal being circulated was insufficient.
Iran has rejected US pressure, with state media reporting that authorities insist on a complete end to the war rather than just a ceasefire.
In his Truth Social post, Trump left the door open for a last-minute agreement.
“Now that we have complete and total regime change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionary and wonderful can happen — WHO KNOWS?
We will find out tonight,” he wrote.
Trump said on Monday that, starting late evening in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, US forces would destroy “every bridge in Iran” and cripple “every power plant” in the country — actions many experts say would constitute a blatant war crime.
US and Israeli warplanes have been bombing Iran continuously since February 28. On Tuesday, even before Trump’s warning about ending “civilization,” Tehran said its crucial oil export terminal on Kharg Island was under attack.
