Trump threatens Iran with bombing, tariffs
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Iran with bombing and also what he called secondary tariffs if Tehran did not come to new agreement with Washington over its nuclear program.
In a telephone interview with NBC News, Trump said "If they don't make a deal, there will be bombing. It will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before."
But he also suggested another outcome could be tariffs on countries that imported Iranian oil in an effort to further pressure Iran for concessions.
In 2015, Iran signed a deal with the U.S. and other Western powers accepting curbs and inspections on its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
In his first term in office, Trump pulled out of that deal and ratcheted up trade barriers.
In response, Tehran ramped up its uranium enrichment beyond the limits of the 2015 accord.
Since returning to office, the Trump administration reached out to Tehran in a letter about coming to a new agreement.
Iran sent a response through Oman saying it would not engage in direct talks while under U.S. tariff pressure and military threats.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian responded by rejecting direct negotiations under the current pressure and threats but expressed openness to indirect talks. This stance underscores the deep-seated mistrust between the two nations, exacerbated by the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement during Trump's first term.
Tehran says its nuclear program is wholly for civilian energy purposes.
In a recent escalation of tensions, U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a stark ultimatum to Iran, threatening unprecedented military action and the imposition of secondary tariffs if Tehran does not agree to a new nuclear deal.
Trump warned that without an agreement, Iran would face bombings "like never before" and indicated the possibility of reinstating tariffs similar to those imposed four years ago.
