US President Donald Trump has warned that Iran could be “taken out in one night” if ongoing negotiations collapse, as tensions escalate ahead of a key deadline.
Speaking at a press conference late Monday, Trump issued a stark threat, saying that “the entire country could be taken out in one night and that night might be tomorrow night”.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signalled further escalation, saying the scale of military action was increasing. “Today will be the largest volume of strikes since day one,” he said. “Tomorrow, even more than today.”
The warning comes as Washington’s deadline for Tehran expires today night, with the US demanding that Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump has threatened strikes on Iranian power plants and other critical infrastructure if no agreement is reached.
Trump also detailed the rescue of a US military pilot shot down by Iranian forces, describing a large-scale operation involving significant military assets.
According to the president, the officer was “bleeding profusely” but managed to climb through mountainous terrain and contact US forces.
A total of 155 aircraft were deployed in the mission, including four bombers, 64 fighter jets, 48 refuelling tankers and 13 rescue aircraft. Trump said the operation also involved efforts to mislead Iranian forces about the search location.
The president further threatened legal action against a media outlet that reported details of the incident, warning of possible jail time if the source is not disclosed.
“We’re going to find out. It’s national security. And the person that did the story will go to jail if he doesn’t say”, Trump stated, calling the leaker a “sick person”.
Earlier yesterday, Iran rejected a proposed 45-day ceasefire and is instead calling for a permanent end to the war, according to the state news agency IRNA.
Tehran conveyed its position to the United States via Pakistan, which is acting as a key intermediary. The message reportedly included a 10-point response covering reconstruction proposals and the lifting of sanctions.
“We only accept an end of the war with guarantees that we won’t be attacked again,” Mojtaba Ferdousi Pour, head of Iran’s diplomatic mission in Cairo, told The Associated Press. He added that Iran no longer trusts the US administration following previous strikes during earlier rounds of talks.
The rejection comes as Donald Trump’s deadline for Tehran approaches. Speaking earlier at the White House during the Easter Egg Roll, Trump described Iran’s latest proposal as “a very significant step,” but added: “It’s not good enough.”