US Vice President JD Vance said on Tuesday that he remained hopeful that “the US will get an answer from the Iranians by 8 o’clock in the evening”, a deadline set by US President Donald Trump over the weekend. He said he “feels confident” that the US “can get a response, either positive or negative”.
At the same time, President Trump stepped up his threats, ominously declaring that “an entire civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back.”
Here you can follow all the latest updates from the US-Iran conflict
“…The ball is now in the Iranians’ court….The Iranians are not the fastest negotiators before the start of the war, and they are certainly not the fastest negotiators. We realize that sometimes there is a delay in the transmission of messages from one person to another, but we are confident that we can get a response, whether positive or negative. We will receive a response from the Iranians at 8 o’clock today,” they said.
“I hope he answers correctly”
Vance also added that he hoped “Iran will make the right response” – stressing that the US goal is “a world where oil and gas flow freely, where people can afford to heat their homes and cool their homes, where people can afford to travel to work.”
What did Trump say?
Vance’s comments come after Trump – over the weekend – issued an all-out threat to Iran and demanded the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day and Bridge Day all rolled into one in Iran. There will be no such thing!!! Open the F***** strait you crazy b***s or live in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah,” read Trump’s ominous weekend warning.
“Tuesday, 20:00 EST!” he added, setting the exact deadline by which Iran must act.
Trump has repeatedly called the 8:00 p.m. deadline “final” and warned of dire consequences if Iran does not comply.
On Tuesday, Trump further stepped up his series of threats against Iran as the clock ticked down — this time warning of the annihilation of “an entire civilization.”
No extension in sight?
Earlier today, a defense official said they were “skeptical” there would be any extension this time around, Axios reported.
The Wall Street Journal also reported that negotiators were “pessimistic” about the chances of Tehran bowing to meet Trump’s demand to reopen the Strait of Hormuz before its deadline on Tuesday night.
What Iran said
Meanwhile, Iran has – so far – remained defiant, with the country’s foreign ministry saying on Monday it would not meet deadlines and would not be pressured to act.
Iran also reiterated it would not open the Strait of Hormuz to a temporary truce and said Monday it did not believe Washington was ready for a permanent truce.
