Tehran, April 7: As the countdown continues to US President Donald Trump’s ultimatum for Iran to come to the negotiating table, President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed that Iranians are ready to sacrifice their lives to defend the country.
In a post on X, President Pezeshkian said he too stands ready to give his life for Iran.
“Over 14 million proud Iranians have, up to this moment, declared their readiness to sacrifice their lives in defense of Iran. I too have been, am, and will be a sacrificer for Iran,” Pezeshkian wrote.
Earlier, Iran’s Deputy Sports Minister, Alireza Rahimi, called on the nation’s youth, athletes, and artists to form “human chains” around power plants. The symbolic and physical action is intended to deter potential airstrikes following Trump’s ultimatum.
In a video message, Rahimi urged students, faculty, and the general public to gather near power plants at 2 PM local time on Tuesday. “These are our wealth and belongings,” he said.
The call for human shields comes ahead of Trump’s “8:00 PM deadline” (Washington time, Tuesday) for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump has warned that failure to comply will trigger a massive simultaneous bombing campaign targeting Iran’s electric generating plants and bridges.
During a White House briefing, Trump said: “The entire country could be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night.” He added that Tehran had been given sufficient time to reach a deal to end the conflict.
“This is a critical period… They asked for an extension of seven days; I gave them 10 days… They have till tomorrow. After that, they are going to have no bridges. They are going to have no power plants. Stone ages,” Trump warned. (Agency)
