The US has denied plans to use nuclear weapons against Iran, despite President Donald Trump's threat to kill a 'whole civilisation' and comments from Vice President JD Vance suggesting that the US might use such tools. This comes as a deadline looms for Iran to make a deal to open the Strait of Hormuz, or face an assault on key infrastructure, including power plants and bridges. The Iranian response has been defiant, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) threatening to respond in kind if the US attacks civilian facilities. The White House responded by denying these claims. The threats come as Israel-US strikes on Iran and Iranian attacks across the region intensify.