Agencies | Washington:
US President Donald Trump said negotiations with Iran had entered their “final stages,” while warning Tehran that military action remained an option if a deal is not reached.
“We’re in the final stages of Iran. We’ll see what happens,” Trump told reporters at the White House, adding, “Either have a deal or we’re going to do some things that are a little bit nasty, but hopefully that won’t happen.”
The remarks come six weeks after Trump paused “Operation Epic Fury” under a ceasefire arrangement, temporarily halting a widening regional conflict that had raised fears of a broader war across West Asia. Despite ongoing diplomatic engagements, negotiations aimed at ending the conflict and curbing Iran’s nuclear and military activities have shown limited visible progress.
Trump acknowledged earlier this week that he had come close to authorising additional military strikes against Iran, but decided to hold back in order to allow diplomacy more time.
“We’re going to give this one shot. I’m in no hurry,” he said, adding, “Ideally, I’d like to see few people killed, as opposed to a lot. We can do it either way.”
Tehran reacted sharply to Trump’s comments, accusing Washington of preparing the ground for renewed hostilities. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that any fresh attack would trigger a wider regional confrontation extending beyond West Asia.
“If aggression against Iran is repeated, the promised regional war will extend beyond the region this time,” the Revolutionary Guards said in a statement.
Trump has repeatedly insisted that Iran must accept strict conditions limiting its nuclear and military capabilities, while Iranian leaders have sought guarantees against future US strikes and sanctions pressure.
The continuing standoff has kept regional governments and global energy markets on edge amid concerns that a collapse in negotiations could reignite military conflict across the Gulf region and further destabilise West Asia.
