Donald Trump has warned that Iran's 'whole civilisation will die tonight' if Tehran does not comply with his demands, as the world braces for a potential escalation. The US president's ultimatum, set for 8pm EDT (1am BST), threatens mass destruction of Iranian power plants and bridges unless a deal is reached.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards have signalled readiness to escalate, threatening to retaliate 'beyond the region' and to 'deprive the US and its allies of oil and gas in the region for years'. This could target Gulf oil and gas facilities, potentially triggering a global recession.
The White House insisted the US is not considering nuclear weapons, despite Vice-President JD Vance warning of tools 'so far haven't decided to use'. Pope Leo described Trump's threats as 'truly unacceptable', urging world leaders to seek peace. 'Attacks on civilian infrastructure are against international law,' he said.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif requested a two-week delay to allow diplomacy, but Iran has not opened the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said over 14 million Iranians have registered to defend the country, while Tehran presented a 10-point plan rejected by Trump as 'not good enough'.
Explosions were reported in Doha, Qatar, and sirens heard in Bahrain, with interceptors engaging targets over the UAE. Iran's First Vice-President Mohammad Reza Aref said the government has finalised measures for all scenarios, stating 'no threat is beyond our preparedness'.
