IN BRIEF
- Trump said that Iran could be “taken out” in one night “and that night might be tomorrow night”.
- Iran’s military said it would “continue the war as long as the political authorities see fit”.
Iran said on Tuesday it wanted a lasting end to the war with the US and Israel, and pushed back against pressure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz while US President Donald Trump warned the country could be “taken out” if it did not meet his deadline to reach a deal.
Responding to a US proposal through mediator Pakistan, Tehran rejected a ceasefire and said a permanent end to the war was necessary, the official IRNA news agency reported.
The Iranian response consisted of 10 clauses, including an end to conflicts in the region, a protocol for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, lifting of sanctions and reconstruction, the agency added.
Trump, who has threatened to rain “hell” on Tehran if it did not make a deal by 8pm EDT Tuesday (10am AEST Wednesday) to open the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy supplies, rejected the Iranian response and said his deadline was final.
“They made a proposal, and it’s a significant proposal. It’s a significant step. It’s not good enough,” Trump told reporters at an annual White House Easter event, referring to Iran.
At a later news conference, Trump said that Iran could be “taken out” in one night “and that night might be tomorrow night,” referring to Tuesday (local time).
“I mean complete demolition by 12 o’clock, and it’ll happen over a period of four hours — if we wanted to.”
When asked by a New York Times reporter whether he is concerned about committing war crimes and violating the Geneva convention by attacking civilian infrastructure, Trump said “not at all”.
“I hope I don’t have to do it,” he added.
Trump’s latest threats, including a profanity-laced social media post on Monday, have sent shockwaves through the international community.
International Committee of the Red Cross chief Mirjana Spoljaric warned that “deliberate threats … against essential civilian infrastructure” are illegal.
But talk of a ceasefire came as the US and Israel were striking targets across Iran, including major petrochemical facilities, and as Iran continued missile and drone attacks around the region.
Iran’s military said it would “continue the war as long as the political authorities see fit”.
After the US and Israel attacked on 28 February, Iran effectively closed Hormuz, a conduit for about a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas supply.
The waterway’s stranglehold on the global economy has proved a powerful Iranian bargaining chip, and Tehran on Tuesday showed reluctance to relinquish it too easily.
A Pakistani-brokered framework for ending the war proposed an immediate ceasefire, followed by talks on a broader peace settlement to be concluded within 15 to 20 days, a source aware of the proposals said.
Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, was in contact “all night long” with US vice president JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian foreign minister Abbas Aragchi, the source said.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran’s demands “should not be interpreted as a sign of compromise, but rather as a reflection of its confidence in defending its positions.” He added that earlier US demands, such as a 15-point plan, were rejected as “excessive”.
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