US Vice President JD Vance, on Tuesday, said that he remains hopeful that “the US is going to get a response from the Iranians by 8 o'clock tonight," a deadline which US President Donald Trump had set over the weekend. He said that he “feels confident” that the US "can get a response, whether it's positive or negative".
At the same time, President Trump ramped up his threats, ominously declaring that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again”.
“...The ball is in the Iranians' court now....Iranians are not the fastest negotiators before the war started and they are certainly not the fastest negotiators now. We recognize there's some delay sometimes in transmitting messages from one person to another, but we feel confident that we can get a response, whether it's positive or negative. We're going to get a response from the Iranians by 8 o'clock tonight," said Vance.
‘Hope they make the right response’
Vance also added that he hoped “Iran would make the right response” – stressing that the US aims for “a world where oil and gas is flowing freely, where people can afford to heat their homes and cool their homes, where people can afford to transport themselves to work.”
What did Trump say?
Vance's comments come after Trump – over the weekend – issued an expletive-laden threat to Iran, demanding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
"Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F***** Strait, you crazy b******s, or you’ll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah," was Trump's ominous weekend warning.
"Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!," he had added, setting the precise deadline for Iran to act.
Trump has repeatedly flagged this 8 PM deadline as “final,” warning of severe consequences if Iran fails to comply.
On Tuesday, Trump further ramped up his series of threats against Iran as clocks ticked away – this time warning to wipe out a ‘whole civilisation’.
The Wall Street Journal too reported that negotiators were "pessimistic" about the chances of Tehran bowing to meet Trump's demand to reopen the Strait of Hormuz before his Tuesday-night deadline.
What Iran said
Meanwhile, Iran – to date – has remained defiant, with the country's foreign ministry on Monday declaring that it would not adhere to deadlines or be pressured to act.
Iran also reiterated that it would not open the Strait of Hormuz for a temporary ceasefire, saying on Monday that it did not believe Washington was ready for a permanent truce.
