Washington: US President Donald Trump on Sunday renewed his warning that the United States could take military action against Iran if negotiations fail, saying Washington would either secure a deal with Tehran or “finish the job.”
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said he preferred a diplomatic solution but stressed that the US retained the ability to strike key Iranian infrastructure if necessary.
“We’re either going to make a deal, or we’re going to finish the job. It won’t be tough to finish the job,” Trump said.
He further warned, “We can knock out their electricity and power-generating plants in the small part of an afternoon.”
At the same time, Trump said he hoped military action would not be required. “I’d rather make a deal because I don’t want to affect 91 million people,” he said.
The remarks came as indirect talks between Washington and Tehran remain on hold during the funeral ceremonies for Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Trump also claimed Iran had made concessions during the negotiations, while acknowledging that no final agreement had been reached. “We’ve gotten concessions, now they have to hold (to) those concessions,” he said.
On the nuclear deal, Trump reiterated that the United States would be allowed to remove Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium as part of any future agreement. Iranian authorities have repeatedly rejected the proposal.
Expressing cautious optimism, Trump said, “We’re close to maybe making a deal I don’t know. We’re going to win one way or the other.”
Although negotiations are currently suspended, both sides are expected to resume indirect talks after the funeral ceremonies conclude.
Trump also said the recent conflict was never intended to remove Iran’s government. “The goal was never to collapse the regime,” he told reporters.
Despite repeating his military warning, Trump maintained that diplomacy remained his preferred option, saying a negotiated settlement would be preferable to another conflict while stressing that Washington was prepared to use force if talks ultimately failed.
