US President Donald Trump has warned Iran that a whole civilisation will die tonight unless the country reaches a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by his deadline of 8pm Eastern Time.
Trump posted the message on Truth Social on Tuesday.
He wrote: “A whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again.
I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.”
He added that the night could mark one of the most important moments in world history and that 47 years of extortion, corruption and death would finally end.
Trump also noted that complete regime change had brought different minds to power and said “maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS?”
He ended with “God Bless the Great People of Iran!”
The deadline gives Iran only hours to agree to reopen the vital waterway, which carries about one-fifth of the world’s traded oil.
Failure to meet it would trigger US strikes on bridges and power plants across the country, Trump has said in earlier posts.
The warning comes as fighting between the US, Israel and Iran enters its third month.
On 28 February the US and Israel began strikes inside Iran.
Since then both countries have hit dozens of targets, including military sites on Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export terminal.
The latest US strikes on the island took place overnight and focused on military facilities, officials said.
Oil infrastructure stayed untouched. In response Iran has fired drones and missiles at targets in Saudi Arabia and launched further attacks on Israel.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it will strike US and allied sites if Washington crosses its red lines.
The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has already sent oil prices soaring and created shortages that affect Europe, Asia and developing nations.
Shipping through the narrow channel has almost stopped.
Trump first set a 10-day deadline for Iran in late March.
He extended it several times while repeating threats to destroy power plants and bridges.
On Sunday he wrote an expletive-filled post that called Tuesday “Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day” and demanded Iran open the strait.
As the clock ticks down, lawmakers in the US and UK have voiced concern.
Some call the threats reckless and warn they could spark wider war.
Iran has rejected the demands and says it will defend itself.
The world now waits to see whether a deal emerges before the deadline or whether Trump carries out his promise to act.
