Daily Times

US President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Iran, threatening bombing and secondary tariffs if Tehran does not strike a deal over its nuclear program. Speaking in a recent interview with NBC News, Trump confirmed that US and Iranian officials were in discussions but withheld further details. He stressed that time was running out for a resolution.

Trump emphasized that failure to reach an agreement would lead to bombing “the likes of which they have never seen before.” He also warned of secondary tariffs on Iranian goods, a tactic he used during his first term, which severely crippled Iran’s economy and escalated tensions. This would likely target Iranian oil exports, one of the country’s primary revenue sources.

In response, Iran rejected direct talks, sending a reply through Oman. Tehran’s foreign minister confirmed that Iran would not negotiate under the US’s “maximum pressure” approach, which includes sanctions and military threats against Iran. Tehran insists that sanctions relief must come before any serious discussions.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated that while direct talks with the US were rejected, indirect negotiations would remain open. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, supported this position, signaling that diplomacy could still move forward through other channels, though tensions remain high over Tehran’s expanding nuclear program.