US President Donald Trump has raised the possibility of further military action against Iran, saying Tehran could either be allowed to weaken economically or face another powerful American attack as negotiations between the two sides continue. Trump, speaking in a phone interview with Real America’s Voice, described Iranian officials as difficult negotiators and said he was still engaged in efforts to reach an agreement. The comments come as Washington and Tehran remain locked in a conflict that began in late February. Trump has alternated between signalling that an agreement could be within reach and warning that the US could dramatically escalate military action against Iran.
Trump argued that economic pressure was already severely hurting Tehran and suggested that Washington could simply maintain its current approach and allow Iran’s financial difficulties to deepen. He claimed Iran was unable to borrow money and said the United States had control over significant Iranian funds, an apparent reference to frozen Iranian assets. Trump suggested that continuing economic pressure was one option available to his administration. The other, he indicated, would involve a significant escalation in US military action. The US President said Iran could be hit “really, really hard”, keeping open the possibility of further strikes even as diplomatic efforts continue.
Despite Trump's warning, there have been indications that diplomatic efforts may be making progress. Pakistan said on Tuesday that Washington and Tehran were approaching “some sort” of agreement, while Qatar indicated that negotiations concerning the management of the Strait of Hormuz had reached an advanced stage. The diplomatic activity comes despite reports of fresh attacks on shipping in regional waters and continuing uncertainty over whether negotiations can produce a broader settlement to the conflict.
Trump also rejected concerns that months of fighting had depleted US weapons stockpiles, insisting that the country was rapidly producing additional munitions. Reuters reported last week that the US Army had consumed a substantial portion of its inventory of highly accurate long-range missiles during the conflict, prompting concerns over American military preparedness for other potential crises. Trump said the US remained adequately supplied but blamed former President Joe Biden for any reduction in available stocks, pointing to the large quantities of military equipment provided to Ukraine during Biden’s presidency.
The latest remarks underline Trump's dual-track approach towards Tehran — maintaining negotiations and economic pressure while continuing to hold out the possibility of another major military escalation if diplomacy fails.