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Donald Trump published an apocalyptic message about Iran on Truth Social this Tuesday, stating that "an entire civilization will die tonight and will never return," just hours before the deadline he set for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
The message, published at 12:06 PM, coincides with the expiration of Trump's fourth ultimatum to Iran, set for 8:00 PM Eastern Time this Tuesday, and comes one day after the president warned that all of Iran could be devastated in a single night.
"I don't want that to happen, but it probably will," Trump wrote, before introducing an unexpected twist: "However, now that we have a complete and total regime change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen. Who knows?"
The president described the night of this Tuesday as "one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the world" and concluded the message by blessing the "great people of Iran," adding that "47 years of extortion, corruption, and death will finally come to an end."
The reference to a "complete and total regime change" is the most significant element of the message.
After the death of the supreme leader Ali Khamenei in Operation Epic Fury —launched on February 28 by the U.S. and Israel—, the Iranian Assembly of Experts appointed his son Mojtaba Khamenei as the new supreme leader on March 8.
Trump described that appointment as a "serious error" and "unacceptable", and since then he has suggested that Mojtaba might be dead or seriously injured, as he has not appeared on camera.
The operation destroyed 90% of Iran's missile capacity, 95% of its drones, and the nuclear facilities in Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow, as well as eliminating 49 high-ranking regime officials.
In response, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz on March 4 with mines, drones, and missiles, grounded 2,000 ships with 20,000 sailors, and shot the price of Brent crude above 126 dollars per barrel, compared to the 67 dollars prior to the conflict.
Trump had been explicit in a video from the State Department: "You have until tomorrow at 8 o'clock... After that, you won't have bridges, you won't have power plants. The Stone Age."
Iran rejected Washington's 15-point peace plan on Monday, calling it "illogical," but sent a 10-point counterproposal demanding a permanent end to the conflict.
On the same Monday, the U.S. destroyed the underground headquarters of the Revolutionary Guard with B-2 bombers, and Israel eliminated the head of intelligence of that force.
The message this Tuesday, for the first time, opens a rhetorical window to a negotiated solution, although Trump left the question hanging with an unanswered inquiry: "Tonight we will know, in one of the most important moments in world history."
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