U.S. President Donald Trump warned in a Fox News interview on Tuesday that Iran will “get hit really hard” if it backs out of negotiations again.
“If they back out again, they’re going to get hit really hard. They know that; they understand that. I have no choice. They can’t have a nuclear weapon. It’s very simple,” said Trump.
The president vowed that Iran “will never have a nuclear weapon,” adding that the prohibition would soon “be formal.” He said the Strait of Hormuz would be “open very soon, or they’re going to get hit very hard and then the Strait’s going to be open.”
Trump said Washington had been preparing “a tremendous attack, the biggest since World War II,” before Iranian officials called to request talks.
“We hit them very, very hard, but the hard hit is yet to come, and hopefully we won’t have to use it,” he said.
Criticizing former president Barack Obama’s approach to Iran, Trump said, “You can’t bribe your way out. All you can do is fight your way out.” He accused Tehran of publicly denying contacts that are taking place. “The only thing that matters is action, and they want to make a deal,” he said. “If they don’t make a deal, it’s going to be too bad.”
The United States, Iran and Oman are nearing an interim agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with Washington aiming for an announcement on Wednesday, Israeli journalist Barak Ravid reported for Axios, citing two regional sources and a U.S. official.
The deal would set up a 60-day arrangement routing inbound traffic through Iranian waters and outbound traffic through Omani waters, with no tolls charged and naval mines cleared from the strait’s median lane within 30 days.
Iranian leadership completed its approval process on Tuesday, according to the report. Trump decided on Saturday not to proceed with a large-scale bombing campaign to allow more time for diplomacy.
