‘Make a deal’ or ‘finish it off’: Trump warns ‘decision time’ nears on Iran amid threat of fresh strikes

US President Donald Trump has warned that it is “decision time” for Iran, saying Tehran must choose between striking a deal with Washington and facing renewed military action amid escalating tensions over the Strait of Hormuz.

“Make a deal or finish them off,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures, as he weighed pursuing a diplomatic settlement against intensifying the military campaign against Iran.

“I have a decision to make: Do I finish it off, which would be very easy to do, or do I make a deal? That’s all,” Trump said, adding that Washington was not willing to tolerate further delays.

Claiming that the US had gained control over the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said Iran had been left with little leverage. “They get nothing. We get everything. They get nothing,” he said.

Trump also defended the economic consequences of the conflict, describing higher fuel prices as a worthwhile cost if they prevented Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

“I thought gas would be double and triple, and it's a small price to pay for taking a nuclear weapon away from maniacs,” he said.

The US president further claimed that Iranian nuclear facilities were under constant surveillance and warned that Washington was prepared to act if it detected suspicious activity.

“We have every nuclear site under watch. If there’s any movement at the site, we know exactly what to do, but there won’t be,” Trump said.

Trump questions Iran's willingness
to honour peace deal

Trump's latest remarks follow his comments to reporters on Saturday, when he indicated that an agreement with Tehran could still be possible but questioned whether Iran would abide by its terms.

Asked whether the US could launch another attack, Trump declined to rule out military action.

“Maybe tomorrow... There's a possibility I will. There's also a possibility we'll have a nice, big, beautiful agreement,” he said. “They want to make a deal, but the problem is, will they hold the deal?”

Trump has signalled that the US could resume strikes against Iran after the November 3 midterm elections. Washington has also deployed additional military assets towards the Persian Gulf, including a third aircraft carrier group, adding to concerns about a possible escalation.

Trump also praised the US military campaign, claiming that American forces had destroyed Iran's fighter aircraft and sunk 259 Iranian vessels.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government has continued its military campaign against Iran alongside the US, has also reportedly conveyed to US officials his intention to strike Iran after the October 27 elections.

Iran rejects claims of Strait of Hormuz proposal

Tehran has pushed back against reports that it offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for Washington lifting its naval blockade.

Iran denied making such a proposal through Pakistani mediators, according to the Tasnim news agency. Press TV, citing sources quoted by Tasnim, dismissed the claims published by a Saudi Arabian media outlet as “a lie and fabrication”.

Tehran says negotiations remain ‘meaningless’

Iran has reiterated that negotiations with Washington cannot advance unless its conditions are met, even as Qatari mediators arrived in Tehran on Sunday.

Abbas Gouzardi, spokesman for the speaker of Iran's parliament, said dialogue with the US would serve no purpose until Tehran's seven stated conditions were fulfilled.

Speaking to the state-linked ISNA news agency, Gouzardi characterised Trump's warnings of renewed attacks as “boasting with the aim of threatening”.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has announced its seven conditions, and until these conditions are met, negotiations will be meaningless,” he said.

About the Author

Bhanu Pratap is a journalist who reports and writes on foreign affairs, India’s foreign policy, geopolitics and strategic affairs. He closely follows diplomatic developments in New Delhi and has a keen interest in defence and national security.<br> <br> Bhanu also focuses on in-depth, interview-based reports and regularly speaking with experts and policymakers to bring perspectives and context to major developments around the world.<br> <br> He is also interested in stories with strong humanitarian angles.<br><br> One such report examined the cases of Indian nationals who were allegedly recruited and forced into Russia’s war against Ukraine. While reporting the story, Bhanu spoke to the families of those affected and documented their experiences. The report was later taken into account by the United Nations in its findings on human rights violations linked to the war in Ukraine.<br> <br> For Bhanu, the zeal to produce meaningful and impactful journalism remains at the heart of his work.<br> <br>He has previously worked with Firstpost, NDTV, Newslaundry and Republic.<br><br> Bhanu studied at the Delhi School of Journalism, University of Delhi. He initially chose science with plans to pursue engineering, influenced by conventional expectations, but fate had other plans and eventually led him to journalism.<br><br> Beyond the newsroom, Bhanu enjoys exploring culture and history and often spends his days off on heritage walks. He is also passionate about travelling, biking and listening to folk music.<br> <br>For tips, reviews and suggestions, you can reach him at bhanu.pratap@htdigital.in.