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strikeMay 18, 2026

'Clock Is Ticking' For Iran, Warns US President Trump

Summary

WASHINGTON/ISTANBUL, May 18 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- US President Donald Trump on Sunday warned Iran, saying the "Clock is Ticking" for them to "get moving" before "there won’t be anything left of them." "TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!" he said on his Truth Social media account, Anadolu Ajansi repoted. Trump’s remarks came amid repeated threats for Tehran to agree to US demands for a ceasefire, which include a commitment not to enrich nuclear materials and the transfer of enriched uranium at Iranian sites to US forces and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb 28, triggering retaliation from Tehran against Israel, as well as US allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. US President Donald Trump later extended the truce indefinitely. While the truce remains ongoing, it has been under increased strain in recent days, with Trump saying on Monday that it was on “massive life support" after rejecting Tehran’s latest ceasefire proposal as “unacceptable.” The US-Israeli war on Iran was also on the agenda in Trump’s recent state visit to Beijing. According to Anadolu, the White House in a statement released later on Sunday said Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed that Iran “cannot have a nuclear weapon, called to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and agreed that no country or organisation can be allowed to charge tolls.” Iran, for its part, has warned that if the US resumes its “war of choice," it would face growing economic consequences that would have otherwise been “avoidable.” “Put aside gas price hike and stock market bubble. Real pain begins when US debt and mortgage rates start to jump,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday. -- BERNAMA-ANADOLU BERNAMA provides up-to-date authentic and comprehensive news and information which are disseminated via BERNAMA Wires; www.bernama.com; BERNAMA TV on Astro 502, unifi TV 631 and MYTV 121 channels and BERNAMA Radio on FM93.9 (Klang Valley), FM107.5 (Johor Bahru), FM107.9 (Kota Kinabalu) and FM100.9 (Kuching) frequencies. Follow us on social media : Facebook : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatv, @bernamaradio Twitter : @bernama.com, @BernamaTV, @bernamaradio Instagram : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatvofficial, @bernamaradioofficial TikTok : @bernamaofficial

Perspectives

Iranian Official

Iran strongly rejects US President Trump's latest threats and ultimatums as blatant foreign aggression against its sovereignty, following the US-Israeli strikes launched on February 28 that provoked legitimate Iranian retaliation and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in defense of regional rights. Tehran views demands to halt nuclear enrichment, surrender enriched materials, and reopen the Strait as unacceptable interference, underscoring its firm resistance to any compromise of national interests despite the fragile April 8 ceasefire mediated by Pakistan. While the truce persists under strain, Iran remains steadfast in confronting these external pressures aimed at undermining its independence.

Israeli

From an Israeli security perspective, Iran's nuclear enrichment drive and closure of the Strait of Hormuz represent an existential threat, backed by its proxy networks targeting the Jewish state and its allies. The US-Israel strikes launched on February 28 were a defensive necessity to dismantle these capabilities before Tehran could operationalize a nuclear breakout or sustain its regional aggression. Trump's "clock is ticking" warning reinforces the imperative for ironclad deterrence amid a fragile, Pakistani-mediated truce that Tehran continues to strain.

Neutral

US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on May 18 that time was limited for Iran to comply with US demands, stating the “clock is ticking” and that otherwise “there won’t be anything left of them.” The comments followed a sequence of reported events that included US and Israeli strikes on Iran beginning February 28, Iranian retaliation, closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and a Pakistan-mediated ceasefire that began April 8 and was later extended indefinitely by Trump. According to Anadolu Agency, Trump described the truce as being under strain after rejecting Tehran’s latest proposal.

Western

US President Trump warned Iran that time is running out to comply with demands to halt nuclear enrichment, transfer materials, and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring the imperative to neutralize Tehran's nuclear threat. Following US-Israeli precision strikes on Iranian targets in response to prior aggression and provocations, a fragile ceasefire remains strained as Washington rejects unacceptable proposals that fail to meet core security objectives. Trump reinforced these priorities in talks with Chinese President Xi, stressing that Iran must not acquire nuclear weapons to protect global energy routes and deter further escalation.

Pro-Peace

Amid the fragile ceasefire strained by US demands and threats of renewed strikes, the February US-Israeli attacks on Iran and subsequent retaliations have exacted a heavy humanitarian toll, with civilian casualties, displacement, and economic disruption across the region. Diplomatic efforts, including Pakistani-mediated talks in Islamabad that produced a temporary truce later extended indefinitely, offer a vital alternative to further escalation and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz under duress. Sustained negotiations focused on de-escalation remain essential to avert additional suffering rather than issuing ultimatums that risk total devastation.

Global South

US President Trump’s ultimatum demanding Iran surrender its enriched uranium, halt nuclear activities, and reopen the Strait of Hormuz exemplifies neo-colonial coercion by Washington and Tel Aviv, following their February strikes that provoked Iranian retaliation and the waterway’s closure. A Pakistani-mediated ceasefire in April exposed the limits of Global South diplomacy, undermined by US rejection of Tehran’s proposals and indefinite extension of the fragile truce amid threats of renewed force. Discussions with Beijing underscore how such hegemonic pressures erode sovereign rights and fuel institutional failures in resolving conflicts outside Western dictates.

Actors involved

USIsraelIranChina

Sources

  • CurrentsAPI

    WASHINGTON/ISTANBUL, May 18 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- US President Donald Trump on Sunday warned Iran, saying the "Clock is Ticking" for them to "get moving" before "there won’t be anything left of them." "TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!" he said on his Truth Social media account, Anadolu Aja…

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