WASHINGTON/DUBAI: US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Washington could launch fresh military strikes against Iran if ongoing negotiations fail, revealing that he had been close to approving an attack earlier in the day before delaying the decision.
Speaking at the White House, Trump said Iran’s leadership was urgently seeking an agreement and warned that military action could follow within days if talks collapsed. His remarks came a day after he announced a temporary pause in plans to resume hostilities following a new peace proposal from Tehran.
The United States and Israel have been trying to end the conflict that erupted nearly three months ago. Trump, facing mounting political pressure at home over high fuel prices and declining approval ratings ahead of congressional elections, has repeatedly linked a deal with reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil supplies.
Vice President JD Vance later said progress had been made in negotiations and neither side wanted a return to war. Iranian officials, however, warned that any new attack would trigger a strong military response.
Tehran’s latest proposal reportedly includes ending regional hostilities, easing sanctions, releasing frozen Iranian funds and removing US forces from areas near Iran. Pakistan has continued acting as an intermediary between both sides during negotiations.
