US President Donald Trump has warned that the United States could launch “bigger, better, and stronger” strikes if a deal with Iran fails, as a fragile two-week ceasefire takes hold.
Trump said American forces deployed in and around Iran will remain in place until a “real agreement” is fully implemented.
The truce between Washington and Tehran, reached on Tuesday, has already shown signs of strain. Israel carried out strikes in Lebanon, while the US rejected parts of Iran’s demands ahead of planned talks.
In a post on his Truth Social platform late Wednesday, Trump said all US ships, aircraft, and military personnel – along with additional ammunition and weaponry – would stay positioned near Iran for potential operations.
While describing a collapse of the deal as “highly unlikely,” he warned that failure to reach an agreement would trigger stronger military action.
“In the meantime, our great Military is loading up and resting, looking forward, actually, to its next conquest. AMERICA IS BACK!” Trump wrote.
As part of the ceasefire, Iran agreed to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route through which about one-fifth of the world’s supply passes. However, Tehran insisted it would retain “dominion” over the waterway.
In a Farsi-language list of demands circulated by state media, Iran called on Washington to accept its uranium enrichment programme. The condition was not included in the demands submitted via the United Nations.
Trump, however, reiterated that Iran would have “no nuclear weapons” under any agreement and that the Strait of Hormuz would remain “open and safe.”