Washington, April 8 US President Donald Trump is "sticking to" plans for a potential military strike on Iran if negotiations fail to make progress by a self-imposed deadline, with the White House warning Tehran has only hours left to respond.
Fox News anchor Bret Baier, citing a direct conversation with Trump, said on Tuesday that the President made clear that "8 p.m. (Eastern Time) is happening", adding that if talks do not yield results, "there is going to be an attack like they have not seen".
Earlier, White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told IANS: "The Iranian regime has until 8 p.m. Eastern Time to meet the moment and make a deal with the United States. Only the President knows where things stand and what he will do."
The twin signals from Trump and the White House underscore a sharp escalation in the ongoing crisis centred on the Strait of Hormuz.
Baier said the US President indicated that while a breakthrough in negotiations could alter the course, "at this hour he is sticking to it."
Earlier, US forces had already struck military targets in Iran, and Trump escalated his rhetoric with a stark warning of massive consequences.
President Trump said "a whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again" if further action is taken against critical infrastructure.
The US administration has left the door open for diplomacy.
Baier said Trump suggested that "if negotiations move forward today and there is something concrete, that could change".
However, uncertainty remains over whether meaningful engagement is taking place.
While some US officials indicated ongoing communication, reports emerged that Iran may have halted talks.
According to reporting cited during the broadcast, Iran had "cut off diplomacy with the United States", though the situation remained fluid.
Trump himself underscored the stakes, writing that "we will find out tonight", describing Iran's decision on negotiations as "one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World".
The developments have triggered intense reactions across US media and policy circles.
The threat dominated cable news coverage, with some commentators warning of the implications of such rhetoric. One host described the US President as "threatening a war crime" and called the statement "a remarkable escalation".
At the same time, there were tentative signs of diplomatic movement.
Reports indicated that Iran had released two French nationals held for years, raising hopes that backchannel negotiations could still produce results.
Baier pointed to internal uncertainty within Iran's leadership structure as a complicating factor.
"There is a real question: who holds the baton and who makes the decisions inside Iran?" he said, highlighting challenges in communication and authority.
He added that momentum on the military front, including a recent rescue mission, may be shaping the administration's posture.
"There is a feeling that there is momentum here militarily. The US President feels that," Baier said.
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