President Donald Trump has issued a new warning to Iran, stating that the United States could launch a significant military strike if negotiations between Washington and Tehran fail once more. In an interview with Fox News’ Trace Gallagher, Trump stated, “If they back out again, they’re going to get hit really hard. They know that. They understand that. I have no choice. They can’t have a nuclear weapon. It’s very simple.” He emphasized that military action was still an option in the event diplomacy does not succeed.
Trump’s remarks were made shortly after he called off an intended military attack on Iran, which he described as potentially the largest since World War II. This decision followed requests from Tehran and other Middle Eastern countries for additional time to discuss the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and address Iran’s nuclear ambitions. “We were going to a tremendous attack, the biggest since World War II, and they called me and said very politely, ‘Please, can we talk? Can we talk?’ And I said, ‘Yes, we can talk. Let’s get it done,'” Trump explained.
Earlier, Trump expressed optimism that an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and limit Iran’s nuclear program was close to being finalized. However, Iranian representatives have denied any direct negotiations with the U.S., claiming discussions are occurring via mediators in Oman. The Associated Press reported progress in talks between Iranian and Omani officials towards a potential agreement on the strait, although discussions are still underway.
Despite Iran’s public denials of direct talks, Trump described the ongoing negotiations as “very good.” He acknowledged Iran’s reluctance to admit direct negotiations, stating, “They don’t like to admit that, but, well, you know, it’s a little bit disconcerting.” But he downplayed such statements, adding, “It’s just such a lie… But it doesn’t matter. That’s talk. The only thing that matters is action. And they want to make a deal. We’ll see what happens. If they don’t make a deal, it’s going to be too bad.”
When questioned about the possibility of the U.S. abandoning talks if they repeatedly collapse, Trump conveyed he was not in a hurry to give up on diplomacy. “I have plenty of time,” he remarked. He criticized previous administrations, particularly that of former President Barack Obama, for not resolving the nuclear issue earlier, asserting, “It should have been done by many presidents over many years, and it wasn’t, and I’m doing it. Obama was taken to the cleaners.”
Previously, Trump labeled this round of discussions as Iran’s “last chance” to avoid U.S. military escalation. The negotiations are initially aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, with the intent to later address the nuclear program in Tehran.
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