Trump threatens Iran with ‘bombing’ if no deal is reached
The U.S. president also said he could instead impose “secondary tariffs” on Iran in the absence of a deal, as he did during his first term in office.
IRNA - U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that he might order military strikes against Iran if Tehran fails to reach an agreement with Washington on its nuclear program.
“If they don't make a deal, there will be bombing,” Trump said in an interview with NBC News. However, he added that he could instead impose “secondary tariffs” on Iran if no deal is reached, as he did during his first term in office.
Trump also claimed, without providing details, that U.S. and Iranian officials were in communication.
On March 12, Trump sent a letter to Iran via an emissary from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While the content of the letter has not been disclosed, Trump said he urged Iran to open negotiations for a “new deal” and warned of potential military action if Tehran refused.
Iran has confirmed that its response to Trump’s letter was delivered through Oman.
On Sunday, President Masoud Pezeshkian said that Iran, in its response, rejected direct negotiations with the U.S. but indicated that indirect diplomacy remained an option.
He emphasized that the U.S.’s behavior would determine whether indirect negotiations could progress, noting that the U.S.’s history of violating its commitments had eroded trust between the two sides.
In 2018, Trump withdrew the United States from the 2015 deal with Iran and re-imposed harsh economic sanctions on the country. Shortly after returning to the White House for a second term in January, Trump reinstated his maximum pressure campaign against Iran, but has since signaled a willingness to engage in diplomacy.
Iranian officials, however, say that the Islamic Republic will not engage in direct negotiations with the United States under pressure or threats. They say that while Iran does not seek war, it is prepared for any scenario.
