Washington– Former U.S. President Donald Trump issued a strong warning to Iran on Monday claiming the country is intentionally stalling a nuclear deal with the United States. Speaking from the Oval Office alongside El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele Trump cautioned Tehran against pursuing nuclear weapons saying a military strike was very much on the table.
“Iran has to get rid of the concept of a nuclear weapon. They cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said, doubling down on the U.S. stance that any nuclear armament by Iran would cross a red line. When asked whether the U.S. response could include a direct strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, he responded bluntly: “Of course it does.”
The comments come shortly after a round of “positive and constructive” talks between U.S. and Iranian officials in Muscat, Oman last week. Another meeting is set for Saturday. The discussions were led by Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Despite diplomatic progress on the surface, Trump suggested Iran might be dragging its feet. “Iran wants to deal with us, but they don’t know how. They might be tapping us along,” he said.
According to Trump Iran is dangerously close to developing a nuclear weapon and if negotiations don’t move swiftly, the U.S. and its allies potentially including Israel might take severe action. “Something very harsh” is under consideration, he said.
While Iran maintains its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, global experts warn that the country is enriching enough uranium to potentially produce one bomb every month.
Backing Trump stance U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday that the military is ready to “go deep and to go big” if diplomacy fails. With a second round of talks imminent the world watches closely to see whether dialogue or deterrence will define the next chapter in U.S.-Iran relations.
