WASHINGTON, April 7. /TASS/. The US former counterterrorism center chief has warned that the United States would undermine its status as a superpower and ruin its own economy if it actually attempts to destroy Iran.

"[US President Donald] Trump believes he is threatening Iran with destruction, but it is America that now stands in danger. If he attempts to eradicate Iranian civilization, the United States will no longer be viewed as a stabilizing force in the world, but as an agent of chaos —effectively ending our status as the world’s greatest superpower," Joe Kent, who publicly announced his resignation disagreement with the White House’s decision to launch military operations against Iran, wrote on his X page.

"This would upend our economy and shatter the global order," he warned. "The process is already underway, yet we still have time to avert catastrophe if Trump finds the courage to pursue serious negotiations rather than reckless rage and destruction."

Kent acknowledged on March 17 that Iran posed no imminent threat to the United States, and that Washington started this war under pressure from Israel and its influential lobby.

The National Counterterrorism Center is part of the office of the Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

The US leader claims that Iran, as a civilization, could face annihilation in the coming hours following the expiration of the US-imposed deadline for reaching an agreement.

In an interview with Axios on April 5, he said the chances of reaching a deal with Iran by April 7 were high. He had previously warned on Truth Social that the United States would strike Iran’s energy and civilian infrastructure if Tehran did not create conditions for the resumption of large-scale shipping in the Strait of Hormuz by April 6. The US leader later extended the deadline for a potential deal by one day, until 8:00 p.m. on April 7, US Eastern Time.

The United States and Israel launched a military operation against Iran on February 28. Major Iranian cities, including Tehran, were struck. The White House justified the attack by citing alleged missile and nuclear threats from Iran. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a retaliatory operation, targeting sites in Israel. US military bases in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE were also hit. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and some other key Iranian leaders were killed in the joint US-Israeli attack.