WATCH: Thousands flee Tehran after Donald Trump issues chilling evacuation warningAmy LeeThe NightlyTue, 17 June 2025 8:53AMCommentsComments
Thousands are fleeing Tehran after US President Donald Trump issued a warning to everyone in the city to “evacuate immediately”.
Mr Trump’s warning comes after IDF spokesperson Avichay Adree gave Tehran an urgent evacuation warning for the city’s third district, which is estimated to have a population of 330,000.
Now, Mr Trump appears to have extended that warning to the entire Iranian capital, which is home to around 10 million residents, according to Reuters.
Footage has circulated on social media of massive queues of traffic along motorways as people attempt to flee the region.
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Mr Trump issued the message after Iran failed to negotiate a deal with the US.
“Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign,” he wrote on Truth Social.
“What a shame, and a waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CANNOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON.
“I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”
Hours before posting the ominous warning, Mr Trump reportedly refused to sign a joint G7 statement calling for de-escalation between Israel and Iran.
It is understood that a draft, led by European leaders, was presented and the US President discarded the document.
“Under the strong leadership of President Trump, the United States is back to leading the effort to restore peace around the world. President Trump will continue to work towards ensuring Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon,” a White House official told CNN, adding he had no reason to sign the document yet.
A Canadian official said there was still time to try and get the joint statement signed.
“This is not a done deal yet, this is something that will be discussed at the leader level. We expect that the bulk of that conversation will happen in the global security session this evening,” they told CNN.
Earlier on Monday, Mr Trump told reporters Iran is “not winning” the war, saying the nation had time to negotiate a deal with the US and should now “talk immediately, before it’s too late”.
“They’d like to talk, but they should have done that before,” Mr Trump said.
“I had 60 days, and they had 60 days, and on the 61st day, I said, ‘We don’t have a deal.’
“They have to make a deal, and it’s painful for both parties, but I’d say Iran is not winning this war, and they should talk.
“They should talk immediately, before it’s too late.”
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