Donald Trump has warned that Iran's 'whole civilisation will die tonight' if Tehran does not comply with his demands, as the world awaits whether the president will follow through on his threat to order mass destruction of Iranian power plants and bridges by 8pm EDT (1am BST). Iran's Revolutionary Guards have signalled readiness to escalate the conflict, threatening to retaliate 'beyond the region' and to deprive the US and its allies of oil and gas for years, potentially triggering a global recession.
The White House issued a statement insisting the US is not considering nuclear weapons, after Vice-President JD Vance sparked concern with a warning that US forces have tools they 'so far haven't decided to use'. However, Trump's threat against Iranian 'civilisation' has raised fears he may be prepared to commit war crimes by targeting civilians. On Sunday, he said US bombing would destroy all Iran's power stations and bridges within four hours of his deadline.
Pope Leo described Trump's threats as 'truly unacceptable' and urged people worldwide to contact their political leaders to call for peace. 'Attacks on civilian infrastructure are against international law,' he said, 'but also a sign of the hatred, division, and destruction human beings are capable of.'
With the deadline looming, Pakistani-led peace efforts have shown little progress. Iran is unwilling to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint for Gulf oil and gas, in return for a temporary ceasefire. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif requested a two-week delay to allow diplomacy to proceed, but no specific updates were offered. Iran's First Vice-President Mohammad Reza Aref said the country is ready for all possibilities, while President Masoud Pezeshkian claimed over 14 million Iranians have registered to sacrifice their lives.
Reports of explosions in Doha, Qatar, and sirens in Bahrain have heightened tensions. Tehran has presented its own 10-point plan demanding long-term security guarantees, which Trump rejected as 'not good enough'. Trump posted on social media: 'A whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don't want that to happen, but it probably will.'
