(Web Desk) - The White House has officially denied plans to use nuclear weapons against Iran , seeking to lower global tensions after a period of "apocalyptic" rhetoric.
The administration’s clarification followed comments from Vice President JD Vance regarding "tools in our toolkit" that had not yet been deployed, which sparked intense speculation about a potential nuclear strike. President Donald Trump also warned that "a whole civilization will die tonight" if Iran failed to meet U.S. demands.
The White House Rapid Response team dismissed these reports as a misinterpretation of Vance’s warnings, stating that the remarks did not imply nuclear intent.
The current conflict has since entered a precarious phase. Following the initial deadline, Pakistan successfully brokered a two-week ceasefire on 8 April, allowing for high-level negotiations in Islamabad.
However, those talks failed to reach a deal after 21 hours of discussion, largely due to disagreements over Iran’s nuclear enrichment and control of the Strait of Hormuz.
While the ceasefire remains fragile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated that new negotiations in Pakistan are "very likely" as mediators push for a breakthrough before the current truce officially expires on 21 April.