Kamal Ghorui
US President Donald Trump has warned that Iran could face renewed military strikes if ongoing negotiations fail, saying Washington is prepared to escalate if a deal is not reached before the current ceasefire expires next week.Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump made clear that while talks are under way, the outcome remains uncertain. “If we don’t do [a deal], we will get it in a different form — in a much more unfriendly form. But in any event, we’ll get it,” he said, signalling the possibility of further conflict if diplomacy breaks down.Trump said negotiations with Tehran would continue over the weekend and expressed cautious optimism. “We’re negotiating over the weekend… I expect things to go well. Many of these things have been negotiated and agreed to… The main thing is that Iran will not have a nuclear weapon. You cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon — and that supersedes everything else,” he said, reiterating that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons remains Washington’s top priority.However, the US president also warned that the ceasefire, due to expire on Wednesday, may not be extended. “Maybe I won’t extend it. But the blockade is going to remain. So you have a blockade, and unfortunately, we’ll have to start dropping bombs again,” he said. The US has already imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports, which Trump described as “very successful”.The warning comes amid fragile developments in the region. Iran recently announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil route through which around 20 per cent of the world’s supply passes. Yet Tehran has also threatened to shut the waterway again if the US blockade continues, raising fresh concerns about global energy security.Despite the tensions, Trump struck an optimistic tone about the prospects of a deal. “I think it’s going to happen,” he said, even as key differences remain unresolved, particularly over Iran’s nuclear programme and control over maritime routes.
