US and Iran near brink of escalation as Trump deadline for deal looms

The United States and Iran appeared on the brink of a major escalation on Tuesday, with hours to go before a deadline set by US President Donald Trump for Tehran to accept a peace agreement, as Washington stepped up its threats and Pakistan renewed mediation efforts.

“A whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” said the US president on a post on Truth Social. “I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will … We’ll find out tonight.”

US sources also confirmed that operations in Iran continue, including targeting of military targets in Kharg Island, considered a critical hub that handles around 90 per cent of the country’s crude oil.

US Vice-President J.D. Vance, speaking during an official visit to Hungary, said he expected “a lot of negotiation” before the deadline but warned that Washington had additional options.

“They’ve got to know we’ve got tools in our toolkit that we so far haven’t decided to use,” Vance said. “The president of the United States can decide to use them, and he will decide to use them if the Iranians don’t change their course of conduct.”