Trump condemned over threat that Iran’s ‘civilisation will die’

Trump Condemned for Threat of Iran’s ‘Civilisation Will Die’

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and Pope Leo XIV have criticized US President Donald Trump’s warning that “a whole civilisation will die tonight” unless Iran agrees to a deal to halt the conflict and clear the Strait of Hormuz. Guterres expressed concern over statements implying civilian populations would face the fallout of political and military choices. The Pope described such threats as “unacceptable.”

With the 00:00 GMT deadline approaching, Pakistan, serving as a regional mediator, urged Trump to grant a two-week extension for continued diplomacy. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif tweeted that “diplomatic efforts for peaceful settlement of the ongoing war in the Middle East are progressing steadily, strongly and powerfully with the potential to lead to substantive results in near future.” He also requested Iran to “open the Strait of Hormuz for a corresponding period of two weeks as a goodwill gesture.”

Trump had earlier warned Iran that failure to meet his demands would result in the destruction of bridges and power plants. Iranian authorities called on citizens to form human chains near potential US and Israeli targets. This followed intensified strikes by the US and Israel on Iranian sites, including military targets at the Kharg Island oil terminal and eight railway bridges. Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards launched ballistic missiles toward Israel, claiming to have hit a ship in the Gulf and a Saudi petrochemical complex.

“A whole civilisation 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, “However, now that we have complete and total regime change, where different, smarter, and less radicalised minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, who knows? We will find out tonight.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Trump had been informed of the extension proposal but stated a response was pending. Trump’s threat included the possibility of destroying all bridges and power plants in Iran within four hours if no agreement was reached. Vice-President JD Vance acknowledged the hope for a deal but noted the US had “tools in our tool kit we have so far decided not to use” against Iran, though the White House later clarified he was not referencing nuclear weapons.

Iran reported casualties from strikes, including two deaths at a railway bridge in Kashan and 18 fatalities in Alborz province. The Rafie-Nia synagogue in Tehran was also destroyed, with Israel expressing regret over the “collateral damage” and stating the attack targeted a senior Iranian military commander. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian highlighted that over 14 million citizens had “so far registered to sacrifice their lives to defend Iran.” The IRGC vowed to retaliate globally if the US crossed “red lines,” threatening to disrupt oil and gas infrastructure for years.