- Iran’s Consul General calls Trump’s "end of civilisation" remark ignorant and hostile
- He says Iran remains firm and ready to respond to US threats and actions
- US deadline to open Strait of Hormuz expires amid Iran-US tension today
US President Donald Trump's "end of civilisation comment" only shows his ignorance, his hostility towards Iran and his inability to achieve his goals, Saeid Reza Mosayeb Motlagh, Iran's Consul General in India, told NDTV today, hours before the expiry of the US deadline to open the Strait of Hormuz or make a deal. The deadline expires at 8 pm Eastern time or 5.30 am IST.
"First, civilizations do not die. Saying they do shows Mr. Trump's ignorance. The Mayan civilization and others are still alive, and their remains and heritage still exist. Second, this shows Mr. Trump's hostility toward the people of Iran and Iranian culture. Third, it shows his weakness in front of Iran and his inability to achieve his goals. It also shows that he has failed to reach his original aims. Fourth, it suggests a lack of mental balance on the part of Mr. Trump as the president of a major country," he told NDTV's Shiv Aroor in an exclusive interview.
"Instead of making calm and rational decisions when he fails, he tries to control his anger and stubbornness through extreme actions," he added.
Asked what Iran's course of action would be, Motlagh said if they had to bow to Trump's ultimatums, they would have done it long ago.
"Once we decided to stand firm, we will continue to stand. He has made many threats from the start of the war until now -- for almost 40 days -- and has done everything he could. However, we declare that we are fully ready to respond," he added.
Asked about the possibility of a ground operation by the US, Motlagh said: "Since the start of the recent war, they have tried, in different ways, to carry out a ground invasion of Iran. But this has been prevented through planning and readiness. If they still insist on this, I say clearly - 'We are ready'."
In a series of posts on his social media portal Truth Social, Trump has issued multiple warnings to Iran. In a post this evening, the US President warned that "a whole civilisation will die tonight never to be brought back again".
"I don't want that to happen, but it probably will," he wrote. It would be "one of the most important moments" in world history, as 47 years of extortion, corruption, and death will "finally end." He, however, kept an off-ramp open, saying it was also possible that "something revolutionarily wonderful can happen".
It sparked speculation on whether the US will use nuclear weapons - which White House dismissed -- and directions from various nations to their citizens in Iran to stay where they are.
Iran scoffed at the threats, with its various embassies hitting out at the US on X.
The Iranian Embassy in Turkiye said on X that a "psychopath's threat" will not end what time could not. "Alexander burned it. The Mongols ravaged it. History tested it. Iran is still here. A psychopath's threats won't end what time couldn't," the post read.
"You and your allies will suffer an unforgettable hit from the ancient civilization of Iran," read a post from the handle of the Iran Embassy in South Africa.
