Trump says a 'whole civilization will die tonight' as Iran Hormuz deadline looms

President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned that Iran’s entire civilization will be wiped out if Tehran does not make a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, ramping up pressure on the Middle Eastern country to capitulate to U.S. demands.

"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 social media. The president’s stark warning comes hours ahead of an 8 p.m. ET deadline for Iran to make a deal or face broad attacks targeting country's power plants and bridges.

If carried out, the strikes would mark a major escalation in the six-week conflict. Experts warn the attacks on civilian infrastructure could be war crimes and could turn Iranian civilians against the United States.

Vice President JD Vance, speaking from Hungary on Tuesday, said negotiations are ongoing and that he is “confident” Iran will respond to U.S. demands by Trump’s deadline. On Monday, Iran rejected a ceasefire proposal organized by intermediaries and issued its own counterproposal that calls for a complete end to the war, among other demands.

American forces on Tuesday struck military targets on Kharg Island, Iran's main oil export terminal, the Wall Street Journal and Reuters reported. Vance seemingly confirmed the attacks, saying “We were going to strike some military targets on Kharg Island, and I believe we have done so.” U.S. forces also carried out strikes on the island last month.

11:49 am ET

US embassy tells Americans in Bahrain to shelter in place

Cybele Mayes-Osterman

The U.S. embassy in Manama, the capital of Bahrain, warned all government employees and Americans across the Middle Eastern country to shelter in place.

"To the extent possible, remain in a secure structure, and stay away from windows," the embassy warned in an April 7 security alert.

"Iran and its aligned terrorist militias may intend to target American universities in Bahrain. Iran has specifically threatened American universities across the Middle East."

U.S. embassies have warned in recent days that Iran may target American universities campuses in Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and other U.S.-allied countries in the region.

11:45 am ET

Trump stands by ultimatum, says '8 p.m. is happening'

Christopher Cann

President Donald Trump said he will not budge on his threat to carry out broad attacks on Iranian infrastructure if his Tuesday deadline is not met.

"8 p.m. is happening," Trump told Fox News host Bret Baier on Tuesday, adding that if no momentum builds toward a deal "there is going to be an attack like they have not seen."

Trump told the outlet that could change if negotiations move forward and there is something "concrete," but said he "didn't want to put odds on it."

10:05 am ET

Make human chains around power plants, Iran tells its citizens

Kim Hjelmgaard

An Iranian official issued a video message that was shown on state TV and later posted on an official government social media account calling on "all young people, athletes, artists, students and university students and their professors” to form human chains around Iran's power plants.

The official in question, Alireza Rahimi − Iran’s deputy minister of youth and sports − made the comments shortly before President Donald Trump warned Iran's leaders that "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again" if the nation fails to agree a deal aimed at ending the war.

Iranians have formed human chains in the past around nuclear sites at times of heightened tensions with the West. Trump has threatened to strike Iran's civilian power plants and other public infrastructure. Doing so could amount to a war crime under international legal standards. Trump has brushed off those concerns.

9:41 am ET

Iran's president says 14 million people registered to 'sacrifice their lives'

Christopher Cann

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said "more than 14 million proud Iranians have so far registered to sacrifice their lives to defend Iran."

"I too have been, am, and will remain devoted to giving my life for Iran," he in a post on X.

The comments from Pezeshkian, who has been in power since 2024, come as President Donald Trump vowed that a "whole civilization will die tonight" if Iran does not make a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

9:33 am ET

Vance says he's 'confident' Iran will respond by Trump's deadline

Christopher Cann

Vice President JD Vance said while there are delays in transmitting messages between negotiators, he is "confident" Tehran will respond to the demands of the United States by President Donald Trump's Tuesday night deadline.

"We feel confident that we’re going to get a response, whether it’s positive or negative," he said while speaking in Budapest. "I hope they make the right response."

“The ball is in the Iranian’s court," Vance added.

9:18 am ET

Iran has two options for outcome of conflict, Vance warns

Francesca Chambers

Vance said at his news conference that Iran faces a choice and can go down one of two pathways after the conflict.

The first option is for Iran to be a "normal country" that does not fund terrorism. The second one pathway is one in which its leaders "don't come to the table" and Tehran's economic situation further deteriorates.

"The nature of the conclusion is ultimately up to the Iranians," Vance said of the negotiations that are underway. "Militarily, it frankly doesn't matter one way or the other to us. It's fundamentally a question of what does this look like afterwards," he added.

9:08 am ET

Vance confirms US strikes on Kharg Island

Christopher Cann

The U.S. carried out multiple strikes on the island early Tuesday morning, according to Reuters and the Wall Street Journal, citing officials. American forces in March carried out strikes on the island where Iran's main oil export terminal is located.

When asked about newly reported strikes on Kharg Island, Vice President JD Vance said the action does not represent a shift in strategy.

"We were going to strike some military targets on Kharg Island, and I believe we have done so," Vance while speaking in Budapest on Tuesday. "I don’t think the news on Kharg Island represents a change in strategy or represents any change from the president of the United States."

8:45 am ET

Vance: US has 'largely accomplished' objectives but Trump ultimatum stands

Christopher Cann

Vice President JD Vance expressed hope that a deal can be reached between the U.S. and Iran before President Donald Trump's 8 p.m. deadline.

“I hope that they’re smart," Vance said, speaking during a visit to Budapest. "The president has set a deadline for about 12 hours from now. We’re going to find out. But there’s going to be a lot of negotiation between now and then, and I am hopeful that it gets to a good resolution.”

Vance said the U.S. has "largely accomplished" its military objectives and that "very shortly this war is going to conclude."

8:41 am ET

Markets zigzag awaiting deal deadline

Andrea Riquier

Financial markets were choppy ahead of Trump’s 8 PM ET deadline.

Oil bounced, with a barrel of Brent crude trading near $110 just before 9 AM ET, after being as low as $107 overnight.

Stocks looked set to open lower, and government bonds also sold off. The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note was more than 2 basis points higher. Bond yields rise when prices fall, and investors have been selling bonds in anticipation of higher inflation caused by the war.

The price of gasoline has popped, standing at $4.139 a gallon nationally at last check.

8:28 am ET

Trump delivers stark warning to Iran: 'A whole civilization will die tonight'

Francesca Chambers

Trump issued a stark warning to Iran on Tuesday morning, hours before his deadline for the country's leaders to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, that a wave of expected U.S. military attacks on critical infrastructure would be debilitating and potentially unrecoverable for the nation.

"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 in a April 7 social media post.

The president left the door open to a possible eleventh-hour deal with Iran to avoid an escalation, saying in his post that a group of officials the U.S. says it has been negotiating with privately are "smarter" and "less radicalized" than their predecessors.

"[M]aybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS? We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World," he wrote.

7:01 am ET

Pentagon briefing ahead of threatened strikes scrapped

Michael Loria

A press briefing on Iran war operations has reportedly been scrapped ahead of a threatened major escalation in the conflict.

The briefing was expected to happen at 8 a.m. at the Pentagon, 12 hours ahead of Trump’s deadline for strikes on Iranian infrastructure. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were expected to lead the briefing.

Journalists at multiple outlets, including Reuters and NewsNation, reported on the cancellation.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment on why officials scrapped the briefing.

6:49 am ET

Iran war's economic impact: IMF expects higher inflation, slow growth

Michael Loria

Inflation will rise and economic growth across the world will slow as a result of the war with Iran, the leader of the International Monetary Fund told Reuters Monday.

The warning from the head of the global financial organization comes as Iran has leveraged its ability to block oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz to disrupt global fuel supplies. Global oil supply has shrunk by 13%, according to the IMF.

Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the IMF, told Reuters that the fund expects to lower its global economic growth projections down from 3.3% in 2026 and 3.2% in 2027.

"All roads now lead to higher prices and slower growth," said Georgieva. The longer the war lasts, the worse the fund expects projections could become, according to the IMF.

6:32 am ET

Trump's ultimatum timeline

Michael Loria

Trump has called his ultimatum to Iran the final chance to come to the negotiating table and make a deal to end the war. But the president’s threats come after a string of earlier deadlines that he pushed back. Here's a look:

Saturday, March 21: At almost 8 p.m. ET, Trump gave Iran 48 hours to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He threatened to "obliterate" the country’s power plants if they did not comply. The president on March 23 said the United States and Iran had productive talks.

Monday, March 23: Trump announced on social media that he ordered a five-day delay on strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure, citing progress in negotiations. Iran said, "No negotiations have been held."

Thursday, March 26: At 4 p.m. ET, Trump delayed an earlier deadline for Iran to make a deal by 10 days. He issued a new deadline of April 6 at 8 p.m. ET. Trump on Monday said he considered the deadline "inappropriate" for the day after Easter.

Sunday, April 5: Trump at 8 a.m. ET on social media issued a deadline of Tuesday to Iran. A few hours later he added that Iranian leaders have until 8 p.m. that day to make the deal.