US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the United States could resume military strikes on Iran if Tehran “misbehaves,” even as he reviews a proposed deal from the country.
Speaking before boarding a flight from West Palm Beach, Florida, Trump indicated that while diplomatic options remain under consideration, military action has not been ruled out.
“They told me about the concept of the deal. They’re going to give me the exact wording now,” Trump said, referring to a proposal put forward by Iran.
According to a senior Iranian official, the proposal — which has so far been rejected by Washington — would open shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and gas, and end the US blockade of Iran while leaving talks on Iran’s nuclear program for later.
Despite acknowledging the outline of the deal, Trump expressed doubt about its acceptability. In remarks posted on his social media platform, he suggested Iran had not paid a sufficient price for its actions and indicated the terms may fall short of US expectations.
“I will soon be reviewing the plan that Iran has just sent to us, but can’t imagine that it would be acceptable in that they have not yet paid a big enough price for what they have done to Humanity, and the World, over the last 47 years,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
The US President also underscored that the possibility of renewed military action remains on the table. “I don’t want to say that. I mean, I can’t tell that to a reporter. If they misbehave, if they do something bad, right now we’ll see. But it’s a possibility that could happen,” Trump said.
Trump, who has repeatedly said Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon and that the US will not end the war without a deal that prevents Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, voiced dissatisfaction on Friday with the latest proposal. Meanwhile, Iran’s foreign minister indicated that Tehran remains open to diplomacy if Washington shifts its approach.
Trump also said that, “on a human basis,” he preferred avoiding military action against Iran, and told US congressional leaders he did not need their authorization to extend the conflict beyond that day’s legal deadline, arguing that a ceasefire had already “terminated” hostilities.
“Do we want to go and just blast the hell out of them and finish them forever? Or do we want to try and make a deal?” he told reporters at the White House when asked about his options.
Later, speaking in Florida, Trump said the United States would not end its standoff with Iran too soon, warning that doing so could allow tensions to resurface within a few years. He also said that the US remains engaged in conflict with Iran because “lunatics can’t have a nuclear weapon.”
The war, which began on February 28 with US and Israeli strikes on Iran, has killed thousands of people and triggered widespread disruption. The fighting, which severely impacted global energy flows, led to one of the biggest shocks to oil supplies due to tensions around the Strait of Hormuz.
Military operations were suspended about four weeks ago following a ceasefire, as diplomatic efforts intensified to negotiate an end to the conflict.
– Ends
With inputs from Reuters
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