TEHRAN (AP) - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tuesday that he and more than 14 million Iranians have volunteered to sacrifice their lives in defense of the country.
The president made the comment on social media just hours before a Tuesday night deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump has threatened to bomb Iran’s power plants and bridges if Tehran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“Over 14 million proud Iranians have, up to this moment, declared their readiness to sacrifice their lives in defense of Iran,” Pezeshkian wrote on X. “I too have been, am, and will be a sacrificer for Iran.”
The figure of 14 million volunteers is double what Iranian state media had previously reported. Iran has a population of about 90 million.
Trump said Monday that Iran faces “complete demolition” if it does not meet the deadline. “The entire country could be taken out in one night,” he told reporters. The president said the U.S. would target “each and every one” of Iran’s power plants and bridges.
The standoff centers on the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman. About one-fifth of the world’s oil passes through the strait. Iran blocked shipping through the strait after the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Feb. 28.
The war has escalated in recent weeks. Israeli strikes have killed at least 25 people in Tehran, according to Israel’s military. Iran has fired missiles at targets in Israel, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.
Pezeshkian’s message came as an Iranian deputy minister called on young people to form human chains around power plants. Alireza Rahimi, Iran’s deputy sports minister, urged “young people, athletes, artists, students, university students, and their professors” to gather at 2 p.m. local time to protect key infrastructure.
The official described the power plants as national assets that belong to Iran’s youth and its future.
Iran has rejected calls for a temporary ceasefire. On Monday, Tehran turned down a 45-day truce proposal and demanded a permanent end to the war.
The United Nations Security Council is expected to take up a resolution Tuesday demanding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
France has urged restraint. Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said attacks on civilian infrastructure are “barred by the rules of war” and could trigger wider escalation.
Negotiations between Washington and Tehran appeared close to collapse Tuesday, with U.S. officials telling mediators the gaps were too wide to bridge before Trump’s deadline. Iran has insisted on a full end to hostilities and guarantees for shipping through the strait.