In a signal to Tehran, President Donald Trump declared that military action is on the table if Iran refuses to negotiate an agreement curbing its nuclear ambitions.
Speaking to NBC over the weekend, Trump warned, “If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing—the likes of which they have never seen before.”
The president added that he would consider reinstituting a slate of secondary tariffs—similar to those employed during his first term—should the Iranian regime continue its pursuit of a nuclear weapon.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian rejected direct talks with the United States in an announcement relayed to the Associated Press on Sunday, though he left the door open for indirect negotiations.
Pezeshkian attributed Tehran’s hesitance to what he called “the breach of promises” from previous Western agreements.
Meanwhile, key figures in the Iranian leadership have reportedly gambled that the U.S. might hesitate to take further military steps—particularly since Iran’s air defenses were largely knocked out last year, allegedly in retaliation for ballistic missile attacks targeting Israel.
President Trump has consistently argued that Iran’s leaders sponsor terrorist groups and threaten regional security.
Most recently, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have been accused of launching missile attacks against Israel, international shipping in the Red Sea, and U.S. Naval forces stationed in the region.
In response, the White House has made it clear that Iran will be held accountable for its proxies’ actions, as Trump previously vowed to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear arms.
Despite Tehran’s publicly defiant stance, experts note that Iran’s regime faces intensifying economic pressure and widespread domestic discontent with the 85-year-old Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Observers say this pressure could push Khamenei’s government toward at least indirect dialogue with the United States.
However, with Trump insisting that “bad things” will happen to Iran if it fails to dismantle its nuclear weapons program, the clock is ticking for both sides.
Whether a new, tougher deal can be reached—or if the region moves closer to a showdown—will depend on Tehran’s next move and Washington’s determination to see the threat neutralized.