U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned that “a whole civilization” could be destroyed, while urging Iran to agree to a deal ahead of his looming deadline.
The warning came about 12 hours before a deadline set by Trump for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face severe military strikes.
In a post on his social media platform, Trump wrote, “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” adding, “I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.”
Despite the stark warning, Trump signaled there was still a chance to avoid escalation, saying that “maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen.”
The comments come amid heightened tensions between the United States and Iran, with fears growing over possible military action if no agreement is reached.