‘Very big things going to happen’: Trump in ‘deciding mode’ on Iran war, outlines 3 options amid deadlock
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he was in “deciding mode” over the Iran war, warning that “big things are going to happen”. His remarks came after Tehran said it had shared its conditions with Washington, through mediators, for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump speaks during a Rose Garden dinner at the White House in Washington, DC. (AFP/File Photo)Trump’s comments come ahead of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s expected visit to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly. A senior delegation is likely to accompany him, Iran’s semi-official news agency Tasnim reported.
In a reported conversation with Fox News, Trump said he was in “deciding mode” and warned that "very big things are going to be happening in the not-so-distant future” if the Iranian regime does not “behave”.
"My question is, if and when do I blow the entire nation up? They had better behave,” he said.
He reportedly discussed three possible options for the war: “wiping Iran out,” “letting them rot economically”, or “making a deal.”
Regarding other conflicts in the region, Trump said Washington remains in contact with Yemen’s Houthi rebels following their recent ballistic missile attacks targeting Saudi Arabia. He added that the group had agreed not to attack American personnel.
Trump was also asked about Pezeshkian’s planned visit to the US for the UN General Assembly and whether he would consider meeting the Iranian president.
He said he would “probably be open” to meeting Pezeshkian, who is also expected to meet and consult leaders from several countries on the sidelines of the UN gathering.
Notably, Iran has communicated seven conditions to the United States through Qatar to resume negotiations aimed at bringing the ongoing war to an end, the country's top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
Mohsen Rezaei, who heads Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said a day earlier that Tehran had sent its demands to Washington through Qatar, which is acting as a mediator.
"Our conditions are an end to the war on all fronts, the release of our frozen funds and an end to the naval blockade," he told Al-Jazeera.
Meanwhile, Iran’s central military command said on Sunday that it had received information indicating that the US, with support from several regional countries, was preparing for another military operation against Tehran.
It warned that countries supporting Washington would be considered partners in the “mischief” and “could no longer expect restraint from the powerful Iranian Armed Forces.”
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