Trump threatens new strikes on Iran unless Tehran agrees to nuclear deal
US President Donald Trump (photo: Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump said the US military would resume strikes on Iran if there is no progress in negotiations over a nuclear deal and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, CNN reports.
According to the White House chief, his decision depends on whether Tehran signs a "very strong agreement."
Trump believes that the Iranian regime currently has no choice but to agree to his demands.
"They're a failing nation. It just came out, you saw this year, 301% inflation (in Iran - ed.). Highly unlikely it (resuming strikes - ed.) will be necessary. I would if necessary, but we hit them really hard. I hit them so hard. You don't know how hard I hit them," Trump claims.
According to the US president, American forces in the region are on combat alert and can launch an operation on his orders.
"We're ready for it. I've got three aircraft carriers here. The other one just arrived. We have three. They're fully locked and loaded," the White House chief said.
Moreover, Trump said that the US had already identified potential targets for new attacks on Iranian territory, including energy facilities and transport infrastructure.
"We have 38 bridges in our site that we can knock down in literally one hour. They'll all be down," Trump threatened.
Despite this, the US president expressed reluctance to cause widespread destruction to Iran's infrastructure, as rebuilding it could take many years.
"I don't want to do that because essentially, it'll take 10 years to rebuild them... I don't like destroying bridges. I don't like ripping down bridges. And the hardest thing to build is a bridge. It takes years, and I'm a good builder," Trump said.
Earlier, Trump was reported to be considering three different scenarios for action in the Middle East.
It also emerged that divisions within the US president's administration have deepened over what to do next about Iran.
