US President Donald Trump said the United States has not yet decided to launch a full-scale military offensive against Iran, insisting that diplomacy remains the preferred option despite heightened military readiness.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump said Washington and Tehran continue to maintain communication, adding that Iran appears to be taking negotiations "more and more seriously", even though a final agreement has yet to be reached.
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US President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, "We're talking to them right now. I think they're getting more and more serious as the days go by, for maybe the obvious reason."
Reiterating that the US military remains "locked and loaded", Trump stressed he was "not in a hurry" to authorize the previously threatened "massive strikes". When asked if he had decided to go ahead with massive military strikes against Iran, Trump replied, "No, I haven't."
“We can take that to a much higher level if we want to, we're prepared to do that … We're locked and loaded and ready to go,” he added.
However, he warned that Tehran faces a choice between reaching a diplomatic settlement or confronting a significantly stronger US military response. Trump also declined to specify what would trigger a full-scale offensive, saying only that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon remains his administration's absolute red line. "It's a big deal. They cannot have a nuclear weapon," he said.
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His remarks came as US forces carried out a 13th consecutive day of strikes targeting Iranian military assets, including drone storage facilities and coastal surveillance sites, in an effort to counter threats to commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The prolonged conflict, now nearing its fifth month, has fueled concerns over rising oil prices and political pressure ahead of the US midterm elections.
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