President Trump threatened on Tuesday to wipe out the entire Iranian "civilization" if the regime doesn't meet his 8pm ET deadline for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The big picture: Trump's new threat, which was the most harrowing in a series of public warnings to Iran, seems to be part of an effort to convince Tehran the risks of not making a swift deal are too dire to countenance.
- Iran has accused Trump of planning to commit war crimes. The regime has not shown much flexibility around a deal in public comments, though sources tell Axios there has been some progress behind the scenes in the past 48 hours.
- Vice President Vance, who is involved in the Iran diplomacy, said at a press conference in Budapest on Tuesday that intense negotiations would take place right up to Trump's deadline. "I am hopeful it will get to a good resolution," he said.
What he's saying: "A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don't want that to happen, but it probably will," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
- He added that he hopes this could still change if the "different, smarter, and less radicalized" leaders of Iran "prevail."
- "WHO KNOWS? We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World," Trump wrote.
- Trump previously threatened to destroy Iran's bridges and power plants on Tuesday night if no deal was reached, and has mentioned other targets like oil and water infrastructure.
State of play: In another move that appears to be part of the U.S. pressure campaign, the U.S. military on Tuesday morning attacked dozens of military targets on the strategic Kharg Island.
- A U.S. official said the strikes were not directed at oil export infrastructure on the island, and said the attacks were "re-strikes" on military targets that were hit previously in the war.
