WASHINGTON, US — Amnesty International USA has revived concerns over U.S. President Donald Trump’s earlier threats against Iran, reminding the public of a joint statement issued in April that warned his language about destroying an entire civilisation could potentially amount to a threat of genocide.
In a post on social media, Amnesty said: “We said it before, we are going to say it again: A threat to annihilate an entire country may amount to a threat of genocide.”
The latest message refers to an April 7, 2026 joint statement signed by more than 200 human rights, humanitarian, civil liberties, faith-based and environmental organisations, think tanks and experts.
Amnesty recalls April warning
The original statement was issued after Trump warned that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran did not meet his demands.
Trump had given Iran a deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and threatened attacks on infrastructure including bridges and power plants.
The organisations said at the time that such language described a grave atrocity if carried out and warned that a threat to wipe out an entire civilisation “may amount to a threat of genocide.”
Amnesty’s latest post therefore serves as a reminder of the organisations’ earlier warning rather than announcing a new joint statement.
What the April statement said
The April 7 letter argued that international law prohibits deliberate attacks on civilians and requires protection against indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks.
The organisations also raised concerns about attacks on civilian infrastructure, saying damage to facilities such as bridges and power plants can have serious consequences for civilians and the environment.
They urged all parties involved in military operations to respect international law and said those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity could be held accountable.
What constitutes genocide?
The organisations referenced the Genocide Convention and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which define genocide in terms of specified acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.
The wording of the statement was framed as a potential legal concern, rather than a finding that Trump had committed genocide.
Trump’s April remarks
Trump made the remarks on April 7 as negotiations with Iran were taking place amid the conflict.
He said that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if a deal was not reached, while warning that the United States could attack Iranian bridges and power plants.
Later that day, Trump agreed to a two-week ceasefire proposal to allow negotiations to proceed, pulling back from the immediate threat of attacks on Iranian infrastructure.
