President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Iran on Sunday, threatening bombing and secondary tariffs if Tehran fails to reach a nuclear agreement with the United States, Reuters reported. In an interview with NBC News, Trump said the talks between US and Iranian officials were ongoing but made it clear that failure to reach a deal would result in consequences.
“If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing,” Trump reportedly said, adding, “But there’s a chance that if they don’t make a deal, that I will do secondary tariffs on them like I did four years ago.”
Trump’s comments reflect ongoing tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear ambitions, with the US seeking to curtail Tehran’s uranium enrichment activities, which have escalated since Trump withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. The agreement had lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for strict limits on its nuclear program. Trump, however, exited the accord in 2018, citing concerns over Iran’s compliance and long-term intentions.
In the wake of the US withdrawal, Trump reimposed a series of heavy sanctions on Iran, severely impacting its economy. Since then, Iran has progressively exceeded the limits set under the deal, ramping up uranium enrichment to levels deemed concerning by the international community. Western powers, including the US, have accused Iran of using its nuclear program as a cover for potential weapons development, although Tehran insists its efforts are solely for peaceful civilian energy purposes.
Iran, in turn, has largely rejected Trump’s calls for a new agreement.
The threat of secondary tariffs follows the aggressive trade measures Trump implemented during his first term, including extensive tariffs on Iranian goods. The mention of bombing, however, marks a sharp escalation in rhetoric, adding to the already tense diplomatic standoff.
ALSO READ: Trump Says He ‘Couldn’t Care Less’ if Car Prices Rise Due to Tariffs
