Trump Warns Iran Could Be ‘Taken Out’ If It Misses Tuesday Deadline

President Donald Trump on April 6 warned that the U.S. military could take out Iran “in one night” if it fails to meet his Tuesday deadline to reach a deal that includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

“The entire country can be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night,” the president said during a White House press conference.

Trump said the April 7 deadline would be final for the Iranian regime to make a deal that includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to international maritime traffic. The strait, shared by Iran and Oman, is a critical waterway through which a significant share of global oil and gas shipments pass.

“This is a critical period. They have a period of, well, till tomorrow at 8 o’clock,” Trump said. “Now, we’ll see what happens. I can tell you they’re negotiating, we think, in good faith. We’re going to find out.”

He warned that U.S. forces could take Iran back to the “Stone Age,” with potential attacks on Iran’s infrastructure including bridges and power plants, if no deal is reached by Tuesday.

Trump told reporters that any deal with Iran must be acceptable and include “free traffic of oil.” The president said some countries affected by the war have offered help to mediate but did not name them.

Previously, Trump had given Tehran a 48-hour deadline to reopen the strait. He later scrapped that deadline and, on March 23, imposed a five-day deadline amid ongoing negotiations, then extended it again on March 26 by another 10 days to April 6, citing a request from the regime.

Just hours earlier, Trump told reporters during an Easter event at the White House that Iran had made a proposal, but “it’s not good enough.” When asked whether he would give Iran another extension, Trump said it is “highly unlikely.”

“They’ve had plenty ‌of ⁠time. In fact, they asked for seven days. I said, I’m going to give you 10. But at the end of 10, all hell’s going to break out if you don’t get there,” he said.

Iran on April 6 rejected a cease-fire proposal from the United States, insisting instead on a permanent end to the conflict along with firm guarantees against future attacks, according to Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).

Tehran communicated its response through Pakistan, signaling that it was unwilling to accept a temporary pause in hostilities.

“We won’t merely accept a ceasefire,” said Mojtaba Ferdousi Pour, head of Iran’s diplomatic mission in Cairo. “We only accept an end to the war with guarantees that we won’t be attacked again.”

According to IRNA, Tehran’s proposal includes 10 provisions, such as ending regional conflicts, ensuring safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, lifting economic sanctions, and initiating reconstruction efforts.

Jackson Richman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.