US President Donald Trump speaks about the conflict in Iran in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC. AFP
“The entire country could be taken out in one night and that night might be tomorrow night,” Trump told reporters at a news conference.
Trump also threatened further strikes on Iranian infrastructure, including bridges and power plants, in a social media post extending his deadline. “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!” he wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Earlier, the White House confirmed that a ceasefire proposal in the US-Israeli war on Iran was under consideration but said Trump had not approved it and that US operations were continuing. Later on Monday, Iranian state media reported that Tehran had rejected the truce proposal.
"In this response -- set out in ten points -- Iran... has rejected a ceasefire and insists on the need for a definitive end to the conflict," the news agency IRNA said, adding that Iran would only consider terms that include guarantees preventing renewed hostilities.
Trump also detailed a US military operation to rescue the crew of a fighter plane downed in Iran, saying more than 170 US aircraft were involved.
“Twenty-one aircraft were used in the operation to recover the first crew member and another 155 in the second rescue mission. Two transport planes got stuck in sand and had to be blown up,” he said at a White House briefing.
In a separate warning, Trump told an unspecified media outlet it could face jail if it does not reveal the source of information about the missing US pilot.
“We’re going to go to the media company that released it, and we’re going to say, ‘National security. Give it up or go to jail,’” he said.
Trump also claimed the United States attempted to arm Iranian protesters, but the weapons were diverted.
“We sent guns, a lot of guns, they were supposed to go to the people so they could fight back against these thugs,” he said at a White House Easter event. “You know what happened? The people that they sent them to kept them. So I’m very upset with a certain group of people, and they’re going to pay a big price for that.”
Trump did not identify those responsible, though on Sunday he told Fox News reporters he blamed Kurdish intermediaries for diverting weapons intended for Iranian dissidents.
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