U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States will either reach a deal with Iran or "finish the job," renewing his threat of military action amid Tehran's defiant challenge following the funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, UNN reports citing Reuters.
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Indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran ended last week with no public signs of progress toward a lasting peace, despite a 60-day ceasefire aimed at creating space for diplomacy.
"We will either make a deal or finish the job. Okay. And finishing the job will not be difficult. I would rather make a deal because I don't want to affect 91 million people," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
"We can blow up their bridges in an hour, we can take out their power supply... They have no money now. We didn't give them any money," he added.
Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr called Trump's threat "delusional."
"Iranians are not familiar with the language of threats. So address the Iranian people with respect, otherwise we will respond in a different language," Zolqadr said in comments published by state media.
Trump spoke after Khamenei's funeral, which took place over the weekend. Iranians, instead of appearing weakened by the war that began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28, showed defiance, unity, and determination to influence the course of events.
The 60-day ceasefire was intended by Washington to revive diplomatic efforts to halt Iran's development of a nuclear arsenal.
Iran begins Khamenei's funeral as a defiant gesture towards the US - WSJ04.07.26, 13:57