Iran-US war latest: Trump says decision coming very soon on whether to ‘blow up’ Tehran

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President Donald Trump has said he will decide very soon whether to “blow up” Iran or make a peace deal, after Tehran said it had received an official US response to its proposal to end the war.

“We have to make that decision: We blow them up or make a deal,” Trump told reporters yesterday. "But the time is coming. It's going to end very soon, one way or another," he added.

When asked how he planned to negotiate with Iranian officials he called "crazy", Trump said: "Maybe you blow them up."

Trump had publicly rejected Iran’s peace deal offer just days earlier. But on Wednesday, Iranian officials suggested the two sides largely differed over the timeline for its implementation.

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi presented the US response to president Masoud Pezeshkian at a cabinet meeting, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani told the state-run IRNA news agency.

Pezeshkian said: “We will make every effort to bring the agreement to fruition and will firmly stand up for the rights of the Iranian people.“The agreement must now be based on a win-win strategy.

Iran's economy, under heavy strain before the war started, has been in a free fall since the conflict began in late February.

The country's currency fell to a record low on Tuesday, with traders in Tehran exchanging more than 2.5 million rials to the US dollar in a stark reflection of how the war in the Middle East has steadily eroded the Iranian economy.

The latest decline came just 27 days after the rial hit its previous record low of 2.2 million to the dollar on 2 September. The currency has repeatedly reached new lows since the war began in February.

US president Donald Trump yesterday, in an Oval Office exchange with reporters, threatened to "blow them up" if the US and Iran don't forge a deal soon.

"It's going to end very soon, one way or the other," Trump said.

US president Donald Trump has warned that Washington faces a choice between tougher military action in Iran or a peace deal.

“We have to make that decision: We blow them up or make a deal,” Trump told reporters yesterday. "But the time is coming. It's going to end very soon, one way or another," he added.

When asked how he planned to negotiate with Iranian officials he called "crazy", Trump said: "Maybe you blow them up."

Oil prices were nearly flat in early Asia trade this morning, following the previous day's gains and steep monthly rises, as investors assessed the outcome ​of US-Iran peace talks and the outlook for Middle East crude exports.

Brent crude ‌futures rose 12 cents or 0.1 per cent, to $98.15 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude was at $90.35 a barrel, down 7 cents, or 0.1 per cent.

Both benchmarks rose about $1 a barrel yesterday. ​Brent recorded a monthly gain of around 14 per cent in September, its biggest since July, ​while WTI increased by about 5 per cent on the month.

Andy Burnham said there are “strong indications that Iran played a part” in a suspected terror plot near RAF Fairford.

The UK is working closely with US and the authorities have the situation under “the strongest grip”, the prime minister insisted after Donald Trump criticised the decision to release the suspects.

Five British nationals, all in their mid-20s, were arrested on suspicion of explosives offences and terrorism near the military base over the weekend before being bailed under investigation on Monday.

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, has issued a warning to the UAE following Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Abu Dhabi.

Posting on social media on Wednesday, Rezaei cautioned that welcoming the Israeli leader would carry severe repercussions, drawing a direct comparison to Western military deployments in the region.

He wrote: “Just as hosting US military bases has not brought you security, hosting the ‘Butcher of Gaza’ will also not have favourable consequences. Learn from the last war, stop igniting wars, and cease issuing baseless claims regarding the Iranian islands.”

The visit comes amid heightened regional scrutiny over Abu Dhabi’s dual-track foreign policy and long-standing territorial disputes over strategic Persian Gulf islands.

Yemen’s foreign minister Afrah al-Zouba has warned that Houthi rebels are expanding their alliance network across the Horn of Africa, creating what she described as a "dangerous Red Sea Axis."

In an official statement released on X on Wednesday, the Yemeni foreign ministry warned that the group is forging operational ties with allied militant groups across the narrow Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.

The warning highlights growing international concern over the conflict, with Western and Gulf intelligence agencies tracking increased Houthi arms smuggling and maritime coordination along East African shipping routes.

Lebanon’s foreign minister has called for an end to what he termed Iranian interference in Lebanese affairs, linking regional stability to the handover of Hezbollah’s weapons and an end to Israeli military strikes.

Speaking at a event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington on Wednesday, Youssef Raggi stressed that sovereign authority must be restored under state control.

“We want peace with all our neighbours, and we stress the need for Iran to stop interfering in our affairs ... Stability requires ending the [Israeli] occupation and the handover of Hezbollah’s weapons.”

Raggi confirmed that Lebanon remains committed to direct, US-sponsored negotiations, describing bilateral diplomacy as the "only way to reclaim our land and secure the return of the displaced."

The remarks highlight growing pressure on Tehran's regional network as Beirut pushes to disarm non-state militias amid broader Middle East peace efforts.

Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman has said Riyadh will respond "decisively" to any security threats from Iran-backed Houthis, balancing military warnings with calls for regional diplomacy.

Delivering the annual royal address to the Shura Council on Wednesday, the Crown Prince reaffirmed support for the coalition in Yemen, warning that the kingdom "will not hesitate to respond firmly" to rebel drone and missile strikes.

He pointed to the newly formed "Mecca Defence Pact" as a vital shield against widening regional conflict, while announcing plans for a new defensive maritime coalition to protect Red Sea shipping.

Bahrain has formally joined Task Force Falcon Strike, becoming the first regional Gulf partner to sign on to the US military's new multinational attack drone initiative, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Wednesday.

The task force, launched by Washington in mid-August, operates one-way attack drones across air, surface, and underwater domains.

CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper welcomed Manama’s inclusion, calling the kingdom a "steadfast partner in strengthening regional security."

The unit builds directly on Task Force Scorpion Strike, the US military's dedicated kamikaze drone squadron used during July airstrikes against Iranian naval assets and port facilities at Bandar Abbas.

Bahrain’s formal integration comes after repeatedly coming under fire from Iranian missile and drone strikes since the conflict erupted in February, including early attacks on the US Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters in Manama.

UK prime minister Andy Burnham has said there are "strong indications" Iran was involved in a suspected plot targeting RAF Fairford, a key airbase that is used by US forces to launch strikes on Iran.

Five UK nationals were arrested in London on Sunday on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act, with US President Donald Trump claiming the suspects intended to cause "big damage."

British Counter Terrorism police released the men on bail on Monday as complex investigations continue alongside US authorities.

Tehran has denied any involvement in the alleged plot.