White House denies US is considering nuclear strike on Iran
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The White House on Tuesday denied speculation that the United States is considering using nuclear weapons against Iran.
The clarification came after US Vice President JD Vance said Washington still had "tools in our toolkit that we so far haven't decided to use" against Iran, hours before President Donald Trump's deadline expired at 8 pm EST.
Vance said he hoped negotiations would make the use of those tools unnecessary.
His remarks led to speculation online that the US could be considering a nuclear strike. An account linked to former vice president Kamala Harris said Vance's statement suggested Trump "might use nuclear weapons".
The White House rejected that interpretation in a post on X, saying: "Literally nothing @VP said here 'implies' this, you absolute buffoons."
Earlier on Tuesday, President Donald Trump warned Iran that "a whole civilization will die tonight" if an agreement was not reached.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: "A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don't want that to happen, but it probably will."
He also said the night would be "one of the most important moments" in world history and that 47 years of "extortion, corruption, and death" would finally end.
Iran responded sharply to Trump's comments. The Iranian embassy in South Africa said, "You and your allies will suffer an unforgettable hit from the ancient civilisation of Iran."
The Iranian embassy in Turkey also responded, saying, "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."
