US President Donald Trump has warned that he is prepared to order “higher level” bombing of Iran if ongoing peace efforts fail to produce a deal. His latest threat comes as ceasefire talks drag on and deadlines for a negotiated settlement approach.
Trump has repeatedly said he will not extend the current truce indefinitely without what he considers a satisfactory agreement from Tehran. In one interview, he said he “expects to be bombing” if Iran does not accept the terms on the table, arguing that a tough stance is the best way to negotiate.
The president and senior US officials have hinted that any renewed campaign would focus on destroying key elements of Iran’s energy and transport infrastructure. Trump has vowed that, without a deal, Washington is “going to knock out every single power plant and every single bridge in Iran,” language that has raised alarm among diplomats and human rights groups.
The threats are tied to a series of deadlines linked to the ceasefire and wider negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme and control of the Strait of Hormuz. Trump has also spoken about seizing Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, warning that if the US does not physically remove it, it could “get it in a different form, a much more unfriendly form.”
Iranian officials have condemned the remarks as psychological warfare and proof that Washington is negotiating under the shadow of force. They insist that Iran has already paid a heavy price through sanctions and earlier waves of US airstrikes, and argue that further attacks would only harden their position.
International observers fear that Trump’s rhetoric, combined with Iran’s own warnings of retaliation if attacked, leaves little room for error. Any breakdown in talks could quickly trigger a new round of strikes and counterstrikes, threatening wider instability across the Middle East and disruption to global energy supplies.
Despite the threats, US officials say diplomacy is still ongoing, with mediators from countries such as Pakistan and Oman trying to bridge gaps over nuclear limits, sanctions relief and security arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz. Whether a deal can be reached before Trump’s next self imposed deadline remains uncertain.
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