President Donald Trump said Sunday that a renewed round of U.S. military strikes against Iran is “highly unlikely” if negotiations produce a strong agreement, but he made clear American forces remain positioned to hit the regime hard if talks collapse.
In an interview with CNN, Trump pointed to the damage already inflicted on Iran’s military, along with sanctions and a naval blockade squeezing the regime’s economy, as reasons he expects Tehran to sign a deal rather than force another confrontation. Asked whether he would order renewed strikes, he said it came down to whether Iran agrees to “a very strong agreement,” adding that further strikes were “highly unlikely” to be necessary but that he’d order them if needed.
He didn’t shy from describing what’s still on the table. “They’re withering away financially. We’ve hit them militarily. We could finish them off,” Trump said.
A third U.S. aircraft carrier has just arrived in the region, and Trump said all three are “fully locked and loaded.” “We’re ready for it,” he said.
Trump claimed U.S. strikes have already wiped out Iran’s air defenses and gutted its ability to build missiles and drones, estimating missile production has dropped to roughly 10 percent of previous capacity and drone production to about 15 percent after American forces hit the regime’s weapons factories.
Israel, U.S. Prepared Over the Weekend
The comments followed a weekend in which Israel and the United States prepared for the possibility of renewed American strikes, though Trump ultimately gave no attack order, according to sources cited by the Jerusalem Post. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with senior Israeli security officials Friday as those preparations continued.
Two diplomatic sources told the outlet Trump had given Vice President JD Vance and other senior officials “a few days” to reach an agreement with Tehran.
38 Bridges, One Hour
Trump told CNN that American forces could take out dozens of Iranian bridges almost instantly if he gave the order. “We have 38 bridges in our sight that we can knock down in literally one hour,” he said. “They’ll all be down.”
He said he’d rather not do it, since rebuilding bridges through Iran’s mountainous terrain could take a decade. Speaking to reporters later Sunday, he extended the same warning to power plants, saying another major offensive could set the country back 10 to 15 years. “That puts an awfully big burden on the people. I don’t like that,” he said.
“We Would’ve Had a Deal”
In a separate 60 Minutes interview aired Sunday, Trump said the U.S. and Iran had been close to an agreement before last week’s midterm elections, which he said encouraged Tehran to hold out for better terms. “We would’ve had a deal, except for this election,” he said, adding that he still expects one eventually.
Asked if he planned to escalate after the midterms, Trump said, “I’m not looking to. I don’t think there’s any reason to.” He also stood by the decision to launch the campaign against Iran in the first place, calling it an “emphatic yes” when asked if he’d do it again, and said Iran can never be allowed a nuclear weapon.
Trump said U.S. forces are still watching the three Iranian nuclear sites already struck by American bombers, plus Pickaxe Mountain, a fortified underground facility that hasn’t been hit. He said there’s been little activity there and that U.S. forces could strike it quickly if needed, though he sees no immediate reason to.
Economic Squeeze Tightens
U.S. Central Command announced Saturday the launch of Task Force Iron Gate, a new effort targeting weapons, restricted technology and illicit money moving through Iran’s land routes — adding to the existing naval blockade. Trump told reporters Sunday evening the combined pressure is choking off Iran’s remaining supply lines.
He cited inflation above 300 percent and said Iran is struggling to pay its soldiers and Revolutionary Guard personnel. “They have no money, and they’re not doing well, and at some point they’re going to be reasonable,” he said.
Diplomacy Through Qatar and Pakistan
Vice President JD Vance has taken the lead on diplomacy, maintaining frequent indirect contact with regional intermediaries, Axios reported. Qatar and Pakistan have served as key go-betweens, and Trump spoke Friday with Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio was blunter about the state of talks. “I wouldn’t say we’re at the verge of a breakthrough,” he told reporters Sunday before leaving for Paris, calling Tehran’s demands “outrageous and ridiculous and really not realistic.”
“The president would always prefer to solve this and every problem diplomatically,” Rubio said. “Sometimes that’s not possible, unfortunately, but if there’s a chance to do it we’ll explore it.”
Iran is demanding relief from U.S. sanctions and the naval blockade, access to its frozen assets, and an end to hostilities across the region — terms Washington hasn’t accepted. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that regional mediators had paused their travel after the U.S. midterms, citing uncertainty over the political fallout. He repeated Iran’s proposal for reciprocal steps within two days and warned of retaliation if the U.S. strikes again.
“American voters have made their choice. Time for the White House to make its own,” Araghchi wrote. “Our 2-day proposal stands: meet the requirements, including 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.”
Trump is scheduled to meet Monday at the White House with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, whose government has been central to the indirect talks, as Washington keeps its forces ready and keeps the pressure on.
