Trump warns 'a whole civilisation will die tonight' if Iran does not make a deal

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned Iran to make a deal by his Apr. 7, 2026, deadline, where he said "a whole civilisation will die tonight" if an agreement is not made.

Trump said via a recent Truth Social post: "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: "However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalised minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS?"

Deadline

"We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World. 47 years of extortion, corruption, and death, will finally end. God bless the great people of Iran!"

This comes as Trump threatened to "rain hell on Tehran" if it did not make a deal by 8pm Eastern Time on Apr. 7, 2026 (8am Singapore time on Apr. 8, 2026) to open ​the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported.

Stating that his deadline was final, Trump said that Iran could be "taken out" in one night.

Reuters reported that he vowed to destroy Iranian power plants and bridges and brushed off concerns that such actions would be a war crime or alienate Iran's 93 million people.

Trump said that without an agreement with Tehran, "every bridge in Iran will be decimated" and "every power plant in Iran will be out of business, burning, exploding, and never to be used again".

Strikes on Kharg Island

The conflict has also seen a recent attack on Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, one of the country's top science institutions, Reuters reported, adding that Iran's WANA news agency said an artificial intelligence data centre and other facilities were damaged.

In addition, a strike on transmission lines and a substation knocked out power in parts of Karaj, just west of Tehran, CNA reported, adding that explosions were reported on Kharg Island, the site of Iran's main oil export terminal.

According to CNN, U.S. Vice President JD Vance acknowledged the recent strikes on Kharg Island but said they did not mark "a change in strategy" ahead of Trump's deadline.

'Nearing completion'

Trump had previously mentioned on Apr. 2 (Apr. 1, 9pm U.S. time) his justification for the war in Iran while addressing the nation.

The reasons he gave included the nuclear threat, past deaths of Americans and the murder of their own people.

Trump said the objectives he had for the war were clear, including "annihilating" their navies, air force, and taking away Iran's "ability to make a nuclear bomb".

"Our objectives are very simple and clear. We are systematically dismantling the regime's ability to threaten America or project power outside of their borders," he said.

He said these objectives are "nearing completion".

In his 19-minute address, he also described the U.S. military force as "unstoppable".

Trump then said the U.S. had all the cards, and Iran had none.

Top photo via White House YouTube