Trump says "a whole civilization will die tonight" ... "I don't want that to happen, but it probably will"

President Trump said Tuesday morning, about his looming deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face, that "a whole civilization will die tonight," adding that he didn't "want that to happen, but it probably will."

"A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again," Mr. Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform just after 8 a.m. in Washington. "I don't want that to happen, but it probably will. However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS? We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World."

Mr. Trump has given Iran until 8 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday to agree to a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, or else he says he will order attacks to destroy all of the country's power plants and bridges. He previously threatened to hit water desalination plants, too.

Mr. Trump told reporters Monday that Iran had made a "significant" proposal, which he called "not good enough" but a "very significant step." 

He called Iran an "active, willing participant" in ongoing negotiations.