Trump threatens to take out Iran in ‘one night’ if no deal before deadline

Trump Warns of ‘One Night’ Strike on Iran if No Agreement by Deadline

Donald Trump, the U.S. president, warned that Iran could face a “one-night” strike if it does not reach a deal by Tuesday’s deadline. The deadline, set for 20:00 EDT (00:00 GMT), requires Iran to restore the free flow of energy through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping channel. During a White House address on Monday, Trump stated that Iranian leaders were negotiating in “good faith,” though the final outcome remained uncertain.

Iran had previously rejected ceasefire proposals, insisting instead on an immediate halt to hostilities, post-war reconstruction, and the removal of sanctions. Trump’s speech coincided with a news conference featuring General Dan Caine, the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, and defense secretary Pete Hegseth. This came days after U.S. forces retrieved two crew members from an F-15 fighter jet shot down in southern Iran. While Trump emphasized the “heroic” rescue, he reiterated his threat to target Iran’s energy and transportation systems if the Strait of Hormuz wasn’t reopened by Tuesday.

“The entire country can be taken out in one night – and that night might be tomorrow night,” Trump said. “They’re going to have no bridges, no power plants.”

He added that Iran would be “sent back to the Stone Ages” once the deadline passed. Despite earlier rejections of U.S. demands, Trump expressed optimism, citing the impact of U.S. and Israeli strikes that had eliminated multiple layers of Iranian leadership. “We’re going to find out,” he remarked, suggesting progress in talks might still be possible.

A regional official, who remained anonymous due to the sensitivity of negotiations, noted that meaningful progress hinges on a ceasefire. The official described the process as hindered by a communications blackout, which delayed responses from Iranian officials. “Getting a response in a reasonable time is not possible,” they said. “The average time of response has been a day or so.”

Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt have joined efforts to mediate the situation. Trump offered few details about future plans, stating only that he has “the best plan” but will not share it with the media. Legal experts raised concerns that sustained attacks on Iranian infrastructure could qualify as war crimes. “Obliterating all power plants, threatening coercive actions against civilians to pressure a government, those are all flatly illegal,” said a former Obama-era National Security Council legal advisor.

Earlier in the day, Trump dismissed worries about potential war crimes, claiming Iran’s population would “willingly suffer for freedom.” He also criticized key U.S. allies, including the UK, NATO, and South Korea, for failing to support the U.S. during the conflict. “That’s a mark on NATO that will never disappear,” he asserted. The U.S. military’s Central Command reported over 13,000 strikes against Iran since the war began, according to an update released on Monday.