Stories
Trump to Decide "Very Soon" on Iran: "Blow Them Up or Make a Deal"
- •US President Donald Trump stated he will decide "very soon" whether to "blow up" Iran or pursue a deal, as Tehran confirmed receipt of Washington's formal response to its proposal.
- •Trump told reporters at the Oval Office, "We have to make that decision: We blow them up or make a deal," and when asked about negotiating, he replied, "Maybe you blow them up."
- •Iran's proposal included reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resuming nuclear negotiations in exchange for lifting the US naval blockade, waiving sanctions on oil sales, and releasing frozen assets, along with a ceasefire.
- •Trump publicly rejected the Iranian proposal, stating Tehran was seeking a deal because it was "losing so badly" and that their proposed deal was "not acceptable."
- •The conflict began on February 28 with US and Israeli attacks on Iran, with previous threats from Trump to destroy Iranian infrastructure, followed by a brief ceasefire mediated by Pakistan.
Key Questions Answered
Under its proposal conveyed during the UN General Assembly, Iran offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within a week and resume nuclear negotiations. In return, Tehran sought a ceasefire across all fronts, the lifting of the US naval blockade on its ports, waivers on oil sales sanctions, and the release of frozen Iranian assets.
President Donald Trump stated that he would decide very soon whether to blow up Iran or make a deal, noting that Tehran wanted an agreement because it was losing badly. He had previously rejected the Iranian proposal on Saturday, claiming that the terms offered were not acceptable.
Qatar and Pakistan have continued their diplomatic efforts to revive negotiations between the United States and Iran. These mediation efforts follow earlier diplomatic interventions, such as when Pakistan helped secure a two-week ceasefire earlier in the conflict.
