Trump’s Deadline Looms as Iran Rejects Temporary Ceasefire Proposal

The U.S. and Iran appear far apart in diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war, just over 24 hours from President Donald Trump’s deadline for the government in Tehran to either agree to a deal or face a bombardment of attacks on its country’s infrastructure.

“We’re giving them till tomorrow, 8 o’clock Eastern time, and after that, they’re going to have no bridges,” Trump said during a news conference at the White House on Monday. “They’re going to have no power plants.”

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Trump’s rhetoric likely won’t derail ongoing diplomacy efforts because there are too many other nations vested in an end to the conflict – though the U.S. decision to continue bombing may create problems, said Eric Edelman, a former ambassador who served under former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

“In reality, he only has two choices — either escalating or walking away,” Edelman said. “Neither is good from his point of view or that of the American people. I worry that he if he chooses the former then we will have a race to the bottom with both sides attempting to inflict absolute destruction.”