Donald Trump signals military pressure and conditional diplomacy on Iran, pointing to US force deployments while leaving open the possibility of talks amid regional tensions.
US President Donald Trump speaks during a public address in Washington. (Photo: X/@WhiteHouse)
US President Donald Trump has again paired military pressure with the promise of diplomacy as tensions with Iran remain high, sending a familiar but sharpened message from the campaign trail.
While speaking at a public event in Clive, Iowa, Trump pointed to a growing US military presence in the Middle East while insisting that diplomacy is still possible. His remarks came amid ongoing unrest in Iran and continued concerns over regional security.
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“By the way, there’s another beautiful armada floating beautifully toward Iran right now. So we’ll see. I hope they make a deal. I hope they make a deal. They should have made a deal the first time. They’d have a country,” Trump said, underlining Washington’s show of force even as he left space for negotiations.
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Trump repeated the same dual message in a separate interview with Axios, describing the situation with Iran as “in flux”. He said major American military assets have already been moved closer to the region, suggesting Tehran may be more open to talks under pressure.
“We have a big armada next to Iran. Bigger than Venezuela,” Trump told Axios. He also claimed that Iranian officials have repeatedly reached out. “They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk,” he said.
After the interview, a senior US official confirmed that Washington remains open to talks, but only on specific terms. “With regard to Iran, we are open for business. If they want to contact us, and they know what the terms are, then we’re going to have the conversation,” the official said, according to The Times of Israel.
Those conditions were outlined earlier this month by US special envoy Steve Witkoff. They include a complete ban on uranium enrichment, limits on Iran’s long-range missile programme, the removal of enriched uranium stockpiles, and an end to support for regional proxy groups. Iran has expressed interest in negotiations but has rejected these demands.
Trump also returned to previous US military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities. He claimed American strikes carried out in June had wiped out Iran’s nuclear capacity, though the actual impact on Tehran’s enrichment programme remains uncertain.
“People have been waiting for 22 years to do that,” Trump said, referring to the bombing of three nuclear sites.
The President’s position builds on decisions taken during his first term, when he pulled the United States out of the 2015 nuclear agreement and launched a “maximum pressure” campaign through sweeping sanctions.
Despite repeated warnings, Trump has not yet approved further military action. According to Axios, the issue remains under review, even after he earlier vowed to act if Iranian authorities killed protesters during the crackdown that led to thousands of deaths.
Trump is expected to consult his national security team again this week. Military options may widen after the arrival of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the region, The Times of Israel reported.
He also said that during a 12-day conflict last June, he stopped an Iranian missile attack on Israel by allowing Israel to strike first, reinforcing his approach of combining force with diplomatic signals.
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