Trump says US prepared to strike Iran again if diplomacy fails

Washington (Web Desk): President Donald Trump said on Monday that Washington is still holding what he described as "deep talks" with Tehran, while warning that the United States is fully prepared to resume military action if diplomatic efforts fail.

During an interview with Israeli broadcaster Channel 12, Trump said force would again be used if negotiations reached a dead end. “If they don't work out, we will go back to very strong military action,” Trump said.

He stressed that there is only a brief opportunity for diplomacy to succeed, saying the process must move forward quickly “or not at all.” He also said he believes Iran is interested in striking an agreement.

The US president said he decided to hold off on planned strikes on Friday after receiving requests from regional mediators. “All of the people that deal with Iran asked me: 'Don't fire',” Trump claimed, adding that there was “nothing gained, nothing lost by granting the request.”

His remarks came ahead of a scheduled meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday. The United States and Israel carried out strikes against Iran in late February, saying the action was taken in response to security concerns and Tehran's nuclear programme.

Referring to his upcoming talks with Netanyahu, Trump said, "I am going to talk to Bibi about the fact that if I weren't president, Iran would have had nuclear weapons by now and Israel would have been destroyed."

Trump's comments followed the suspension of US strikes after two weeks of sustained military attacks.

They also came after American media reported that senior administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance, had encouraged the president to avoid a broader conflict because of concerns over ammunition stockpiles and the possible consequences of further escalation.

Rejecting those claims, Trump told The Wall Street Journal that the United States has "far more munitions than anyone in the world, and far more than we need.”

Meanwhile, US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said on Sunday that Trump is allowing "some space" for diplomatic discussions with Iran, adding that negotiations are continuing at "every level."

Pakistan helped broker a ceasefire in April, and Tehran and Washington later signed a memorandum of understanding in June to facilitate further negotiations aimed at permanently ending the conflict.

However, tensions resurfaced earlier this month following disagreements over navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran effectively blocked during the conflict.