Iran warns of regional 'hell' as Trump sets 48-hour deadline for deal

Iran warned on Saturday that further escalation in its conflict with the United States and Israel could turn the entire region into "a hell" for its adversaries, after US President Donald Trump issued a fresh 48-hour ultimatum for Tehran to reach a deal or reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping.

The exchange of threats comes as the six-week-old war, which began with joint US-Israeli air strikes on February 28, has killed thousands of people, disrupted global energy flows and heightened fears of wider instability.

"Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out – 48 hours before all Hell will reign (sic) down on them. Glory be to GOD!" Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

This follows repeated deadline extensions by the US president, who has alternated between threats of massive strikes and hints of diplomatic progress.

A senior Israeli defense official said Israel was preparing strikes on Iranian energy facilities and awaiting US approval, potentially within the coming week. Trump has previously floated targeting Iranian power plants if his demands go unmet.

Tehran has pushed back firmly. "Do not forget: if hostilities expand, the entire region will become hell for you. The illusion of defeating the Islamic Republic of Iran has turned into a swamp that will engulf you," said Ebrahim Zolfaghari, the spokesperson for Iran's supreme military command.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, while leaving the door open in principle for mediated talks in Pakistan, stressed that any agreement must deliver a "conclusive and lasting" end to what Tehran calls an illegal war.

In a letter to the United Nations, he condemned repeated strikes near the Bushehr nuclear power plant – the fourth such incident since the outbreak of the war – warning of serious risks of radiological release that could affect the broader region.

This came after Tehran confirmed that a projectile struck near the plant, killing one security worker and damaging a building, though operations continued, and the International Atomic Energy Agency said no rise in radiation levels was detected. International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi urged maximum restraint to avoid any nuclear accident.

Meanwhile, US and Iranian forces continued searching for a missing American crew member from a downed two-seat F-15E jet. One crew member was rescued after the incident on Friday, a US official told Reuters, adding that ongoing search efforts involving Black Hawk helicopters reportedly came under Iranian fire.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it was combing a southwestern area, while the regional governor has offered rewards for capturing or killing "hostile enemy" forces.

In a separate incident, an A-10 Warthog was reportedly downed over Kuwait, with the pilot ejecting.

Iran's supreme military command has said it used a new defense system built by "young, knowledgeable" Iranians.

In parallel, US-Israeli strikes have hit petrochemical facilities in southwestern Iran's Khuzestan province, including sites in the Mahshahr Special Economic Zone and the Bandar Imam area. Iranian media reported that at least five people were killed and around 170 were injured, with fires at some plants later extinguished.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the strikes, which an Israeli military spokesperson said targeted materials for explosives and missiles.

Iran reported striking an Israel-affiliated vessel in the strait, setting the ship on fire, as it fired more missiles at Gulf States, Iraq and Israel on Saturday.

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis on Saturday also claimed a joint operation with Iranian forces and Hezbollah targeting Israeli sites, including the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. Israel did not confirm damage.