‘They are failing nation’: Trump says fresh US strikes on Iran ‘highly unlikely’ if talks show progress

US President Donald Trump said that it is “highly unlikely” he would order American forces to resume military action against Iran, provided significant progress is made in negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme and the reopening of the strategic Strait of Hormuz. However, he also revealed that the US had identified 38 Iranian bridges and other key infrastructure sites as potential targets for destruction.

In a 20-minute phone interview with CNN on Sunday, Trump reiterated his assessment five times, signalling that renewed military escalation could be avoided if Tehran agreed to far-reaching diplomatic concessions.

‘Highly unlikely’

“It depends on whether or not they sign a very strong agreement,” Trump told CNN. “The answer is highly unlikely it’s going to be necessary. They’re a failing nation. It just came out, you saw this year, 301% inflation. Highly unlikely it will be necessary. I would if necessary, but we hit them really hard. I hit them so hard. You don’t know how hard I hit them.”

Trump asserted that devastating economic sanctions coupled with previous military strikes had severely degraded Tehran’s capabilities.

“So it’s highly unlikely I’ll have to,” Trump continued. “They’re withering away financially. We’ve hit them militarily. We could finish them off.”

Trump further disclosed, “We have 38 bridges in our site that we can knock down in literally one hour. They’ll all be down.” 

Explaining his hesitation to obliterate logistical conduits, Trump added, “I don’t want to do that because, essentially, it’ll take 10 years to rebuild them. I don’t like ripping down bridges. And the hardest thing to build is a bridge. It takes years, and I’m a good builder.”

‘End war on all fronts or Iran…’

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has issued a fierce warning to the United States, telling the White House to either accept Tehran’s proposal to end hostilities on all fronts or face severe military retaliation that will “rain down hell.”

Taking to social media platform X on Sunday, the Iranian Foreign Minister declared that the ball is firmly in Washington’s court to decide between a negotiated de-escalation and catastrophic regional warfare.

“American voters have made their choice. Time for the White House to make its own,” Araghchi posted.

Issuing a direct warning to the Trump administration, Araghchi added, “Our 2-day proposal stands: meet the requirements, including an end to war on all fronts, and you will see results. Or choose war, and see our alert and battle-hardened Warriors rain down hell.”

Earlier, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday that Israel is “not finished” with Iran, indicating that fresh strikes could be relaunched on the Islamic Republic once again.

He renewed the charge that Iran is developing a nuclear weapon, but did not provide to back the claim. “With regard to Iran, the mission is still not complete. Iran is trying to renew its efforts to obtain nuclear weapons — alongside other grave efforts that place the State of Israel in real danger,” Katz said, as cited by AFP.

(With ANI inputs)

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