United States President Donald Trump has warned that Iran could face severe consequences, including possible military action, if it fails to comply with Washington’s demands on its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
In comments published Tuesday by Israeli broadcaster Channel 12, Trump said negotiations with Tehran remain an option but cautioned that failure to reach an agreement would trigger strong measures.
“Either we reach a deal, or we’ll have to do something very tough,” Trump said.
His remarks come amid renewed diplomatic engagement between US and Iranian officials, who held talks last week in Oman. Iran’s senior security official, Ali Larijani, is currently meeting with Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said to review the outcome of those discussions.
In recent weeks, the Trump administration has increased military deployments in the Middle East. The Pentagon has sent what Trump described as a “massive armada” to the region, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. US media outlets, including Channel 12 and Axios, reported that Washington is also considering deploying a second aircraft carrier to the area.
The military buildup has heightened concerns of a potential US strike on Iran, with critics warning that such action could further destabilise an already volatile region.
On Monday, US authorities issued guidance to American-flagged commercial vessels, advising them to remain “as far as possible” from Iranian territorial waters.
Since returning to office in January, Trump has intensified pressure on Tehran, warning that the US military is “locked and loaded and ready to go” if diplomatic efforts fail.
The escalating rhetoric underscores growing tensions as Washington pushes for stricter limits on Iran’s nuclear enrichment activities and ballistic missile capabilities, while Tehran insists on protecting its sovereign rights.
