WANA (Jul 15) – U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday reiterated his threats of continued military action against Iran, claiming that Tehran must accept a deal or face further attacks, including potential strikes on civilian infrastructure.
Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Trump claimed that U.S. military operations against Iran would continue until he personally decided to stop them. He also threatened that power plants, bridges, and other key infrastructure could become targets if Iran refused to return to the negotiating table.
Trump further alleged that the United States had held talks with Iran on Tuesday and warned Iranian officials that they needed to reach an agreement or “there would be nothing left.”
When asked whether he ruled out a limited ground operation, Trump declined to do so, claiming that “sometimes a ground operation is necessary.”
The U.S. president also repeated his longstanding claims regarding Iran’s nuclear program, saying he would not sign any agreement that failed to guarantee Iran would not acquire a nuclear weapon. He further alleged that Iran had been only two weeks away from obtaining such a weapon and claimed that strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities had prevented that outcome.
Referring to what he described as activity at “Koh Kolang,” Trump claimed the United States was closely monitoring the site and warned that any action by Iran would receive an immediate response. He also asserted that the U.S. possesses weapons capable of striking deeply buried targets.
Trump additionally claimed that an agreement with Iran had been within reach two days earlier but alleged that Tehran chose not to proceed. He argued that “the only way to negotiate with Iran is through military force.”
Addressing the possibility of targeting Khark Island, Trump said he had instructed U.S. forces not to strike Iran’s oil facilities in order to avoid disrupting the global economy. However, he added that Iranian oil infrastructure could become a target in later stages if necessary.
Concluding his remarks, Trump claimed that the Strait of Hormuz remains open for international shipping and alleged that any restrictions would affect only Iran.