US President Donald Trump has warned he would resume military strikes against Iran if Tehran fails to conclude a final nuclear agreement with the United States.
He gave the warning while claiming the peace deal he brokered had saved Israel from nuclear destruction, The New York Times reported.
Speaking in a 28-minute phone interview with the outlet on Sunday, Trump said the agreement would ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains "permanently toll free".
He also argued that his decision to attack Iran in late February, followed by a naval blockade of its ports, had remade the Middle East in America's favour.
If Iran failed to reach a final nuclear accord, Trump said he would either restart military attacks on Tehran or make the United States "the guardian of the Middle East" in return for 20% of the region's revenues, according to The Times.
Trump also took direct aim at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he excoriated for mounting attacks that nearly derailed the final agreement.
"He's a very difficult guy," Trump said of Netanyahu, "and to be honest with you, he should be very thankful to us for doing this. Because if Iran had a nuclear weapon, Israel wouldn't be around for two hours."
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On the nuclear question, Trump reportedly said negotiations were ongoing over whether Iran would suspend uranium enrichment for 20 years, though he hinted he might settle for a 15-year suspension.
He said Iran would ultimately be limited to enriching at low levels that "could never be used by the military." Iran had enriched uranium to near-bomb-grade 60 percent purity after Trump scrapped the 2015 Obama-era nuclear accord in 2018.
Trump also praised Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin for aiding in the settlement.
However, the current memorandum of understanding only suspends Hormuz tolls for 60 days before a regional dialogue on the waterway's future, with the follow-up negotiations set to begin Friday in Switzerland.
ALSO READ: 'Let The Oil Flow': Trump Lifts Hormuz Naval Blockade, Announces Toll Free Opening Of Strait
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