US President Donald Trump has issued a fresh warning to Iran, stating that the country must either reach a nuclear agreement with Washington or face further military action, which he described as the US "finishing the job." His remarks came as Iran observed the funeral of its late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a ceremony marked by massive crowds in Tehran and a heightened anti-US and anti-Israel sentiment.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said, "I went in for one reason, very strongly, that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. I'm not looking for regime change, although this is regime change. The first regime is gone, the second regime is gone, and I think the third regime is more reasonable, but we will find out."
Trump also stated that, "We're going to win one way or the other. We're going to either make a deal or we're going to finish the job—and it won't be tough to finish the job. I'd rather make a deal because I don't want to affect 91 million people. We can knock down their bridges in one hour. We can knock out their energy supply, all of those big plants that they built, big, beautiful, modern plants. They don't have any money now. We haven't given them any money. We can knock out their electricity and power-generating plants in, I would say, a small part of an afternoon. Every plant will be gone, and they know that."
The President's comments come at a sensitive time, with tensions between the two countries remaining high despite ongoing indirect talks over Iran's nuclear programme. A temporary ceasefire had created space for diplomacy after months of military confrontation. However, recent talks have failed to produce a breakthrough, leading Trump to renew the pressure on Tehran.
Trump is seeking an agreement that would prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, place strict limits on Iran's nuclear activities, and address broader security concerns in the Middle East. He suggested that the United States would continue using both diplomatic and military pressure until an agreement is reached.
Iran has dismissed the latest warning. Senior Iranian Official Mohammed Baqer Zolqadr described Trump's remarks as "delusional" and accused Washington of attempting to pressure Tehran through threats. Iranian leaders have consistently maintained that negotiations cannot succeed under coercion and have vowed to respond to any military aggression.
Meanwhile, the funeral ceremonies of Khamenei drew hundreds of thousand of mourners to the streets of Tehran. The event featured slogans calling for revenge against the United States and Israel. Effigies of Trump were displayed during parts of the procession, displaying the heightened anti-US sentiment.
Diplomatic channels between the US and Iran remain open but have not produced a breakthrough. The ceasefire is under increasing strain as both sides exchange warnings, raising concerns that these tensions could further escalate unless both sides return to a meaningful dialogue.
ALSO READ: Khamenei's Funeral: MB Ghalibaf Calls Iranian To Flood, Declare 'Vengeance For His Blood'
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