‘Only the President Knows What He Will Do,’ White House Warns as Donald Trump Issues Iran Deadline
“The Iranian regime has until 8 PM Eastern Time to meet the moment and make a deal with the United States,” Leavitt said.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — U.S. President Donald Trump is the only person who knows the United States’ next steps regarding Iran, the White House said on Tuesday, as tensions escalated ahead of a critical deadline set by the president.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told AFP that Iran had until 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time (midnight GMT) to reach an agreement with Washington or face severe consequences.
“The Iranian regime has until 8 PM Eastern Time to meet the moment and make a deal with the United States,” Leavitt said, responding to questions about whether Trump was prepared to take drastic military action and reports that Tehran had halted negotiations.
“Only the President knows where things stand and what he will do,” she added.
Trump has issued stark warnings in recent days, stating that failure to comply with U.S. demands could result in unprecedented destruction. He threatened to “decimate” Iran’s infrastructure, including bridges and power plants, within a four-hour window if no agreement is reached.
The president further warned that such strikes could send the country “back to the Stone Age,” suggesting it would take decades for Iran to recover.
Ahead of the deadline, U.S. forces have carried out strikes on dozens of military targets on Kharg Island, Iran’s primary oil export hub. However, officials said that oil facilities themselves had not yet been targeted.
The situation remains highly volatile, with uncertainty surrounding whether diplomatic efforts will resume or military escalation will intensify in the coming hours.