WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has warned that any renewed American military operation against Iran could be nearly five times larger than previous attacks, raising concerns about further escalation as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue.
In a telephone interview with C-SPAN’s Washington Journal Primetime, Trump claimed that Iran wanted to reach an agreement with the United States but was unwilling to publicly acknowledge its interest in negotiations.
The US president also claimed that American military operations had destroyed Iran’s navy, air force, air defence systems and leadership, arguing that Tehran was now interested in reaching a deal with Washington.
Trump issued a fresh warning over Iran’s nuclear programme, particularly activities at Pickaxe Mountain, a site associated with the country’s nuclear infrastructure.
He said the United States could consider striking the location if Iran resumed activities there. However, he added that Washington had not currently seen evidence of such activity.
Reiterating his opposition to Iran acquiring nuclear weapons, Trump argued that Tehran should not be allowed to develop them, claiming that such weapons could potentially be used.
The president also discussed his conversations with regional leaders, including the prime minister of Qatar and representatives of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait.
According to Trump, these Gulf countries preferred maintaining the existing military strategy rather than launching another major escalation against Iran.
Nevertheless, he warned that if the United States decided to attack again, the scale of the operation could be approximately five times greater than the previous military action.
Trump did not provide details about when such an operation might take place or which Iranian targets could be considered.
His remarks come as tensions between Washington and Tehran remain high, despite continuing diplomatic contacts and efforts to explore a possible agreement.
While Trump has portrayed Iran as interested in negotiations, independent confirmation of his claims has not emerged from Tehran.
Similarly, there has been no independent confirmation of his description of the Gulf countries’ positions.
The latest warning underscores the uncertainty surrounding the US-Iran confrontation, with the possibility of renewed military action remaining a major concern alongside diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.
