US President Donald Trump on Monday warned Iran that it would either reach an agreement with Washington or face further military action, declaring that the United States would “either make a deal or finish the job.” His remarks came as Iran continued its multi-day funeral ceremonies for slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed at the start of the US-Iran war on February 28.
“We’re going to win one way or the other. We’re going to either make a deal or we’re going to finish the job, and it won’t be tough to finish the job,” Trump said at the White House, adding that he would still prefer a diplomatic settlement.
The US President also reiterated that Washington’s objective remained preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, while referring to the country’s stockpile of enriched nuclear material.
“Oil is now at a level that, I think, is even lower, on a barrel basis, than it was before we started. We’ve gotten concessions, and they have to hold those concessions, but there’ll be no nuclear weapon. We’re going to be getting the, as I call it, dust; the enriched material, nuclear dust,” Trump said.
He also clarified that the United States was not pursuing regime change in Iran, Reuters reported.
Trump continues warning Tehran despite ceasefire
Trump’s latest remarks come despite the ceasefire between the United States and Iran following last month’s interim peace agreement that brought an end to active hostilities.
While senior Iranian leaders and clerics gathered on July 3 for Khamenei’s funeral procession, Trump suggested the event could have presented a military opportunity, but said Washington chose not to act because diplomatic negotiations were still underway.
“They are all there. One shot [and we can take them all out], but we are not going to do that because then we would have nobody to negotiate with,” Trump told Axios.
The US President also said he was surprised by the large crowds attending Khamenei’s funeral, claiming he had expected far less public support for the late Iranian leader.
“Maybe it’s fake tears,” Axios quoted Trump as saying.
Iran responds sharply
Iran responded strongly to Trump’s remarks, accusing the United States of lacking civilisation, history and honour.
In a post on X, the Iranian Embassy in Armenia criticised both Trump and the United States, saying America could not understand the scale of public mourning following Khamenei’s death despite celebrating the 250th anniversary of its independence on July 4.
“People can be killed, but ideals cannot. You killed Ayatollah Khamenei, but in reality, you broke a perfume bottle whose scent spread everyplace. You don’t understand these things because you have neither civilisation, nor history, nor honor,” the embassy said, referring to the large crowds that gathered for the funeral of the late Supreme Leader.
