US PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s threats to Iran are getting more menacing by the day, raising serious questions about his fitness to hold office. Dangerous and provocative remarks posted on social media are not uncommon. But when such statements emanate from the leader of the word’s most powerful nation, backed by the firepower of the US military machine, the international community must take notice and act to check America’s rogue behaviour. Mr Trump is doubling down on his threats to Iran, and followed up his earlier insults with a chilling warning on Tuesday: referring to the Islamic Republic, he threatened that “a whole civilisation will die tonight”. Earlier, he had called Iranians “animals”. This language is not too different from the genocidal terms used by America’s close ally Israel, and perhaps Mr Trump has been inspired by his friends in Tel Aviv to do to Iran what they have done to Gaza and are now doing to Lebanon.

Although ceasefire efforts were continuing at the time of writing, with Pakistan playing a key role, if Mr Trump is willing to back up his shocking threats with action, diplomacy may be dead for the foreseeable future in this conflict. Soon after the dire Trumpian threats, there were reports of attacks on Kharg Island, which hosts major Iranian oil facilities. It appears the US administration is not interested in a ceasefire or a peaceful resolution. It wants total surrender from Iran, which is something Tehran is not willing to comply with. Meanwhile, Israel has been wreaking havoc in Lebanon, as it tries unsuccessfully to neutralise Iran’s ally Hezbollah. In the process, hundreds of Lebanese civilians have been murdered, and over a million displaced. It would not be incorrect to state that since the US and Israel began their campaign on Feb 28, while they have caused immense destruction throughout the region, they have failed to achieve their goals, particularly the fall of the Iranian system, and the defeat of Tehran’s regional allies. Now, seemingly in desperation, they are planning to set the entire region on fire to hide their failures.

The world needs to stop the US and Israel from proceeding on their path of open-ended aggression. Far too many people have been killed in this senseless war, and the global economy is in a fragile state. It seems that the US has been emboldened by its rescue last week of two soldiers who had been downed over Iranian territory while violating that country’s sovereignty. The gung-ho rescue operation may have convinced the US president and his pugnacious war chief to attempt a ground invasion. This would be a blunder of massive proportions. It is hoped that Mr Trump walks back his destructive threats and an immediate cessation of hostilities is announced.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2026