US President Donald Trump stated that Iran cannot proceed with its nuclear program without approval from Washington and that he would soon decide whether to resume military operations against Tehran. Trump's remarks came during an Oval Office exchange with reporters, where he was asked about reports of Iranian negotiators reviewing a new proposal for a deal that would constrain Iran's nuclear program.
Trump emphasized that Iran would not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon, and he would prefer a negotiated solution rather than destruction of the country. He mentioned that the US has controlled what it wanted to in Iran for seven months and would now make a decision on whether to go further.
Trump warned that if the US were to destroy the rest of the country, it would take Iran 25 years to rebuild. Trump also stated that the US is "locked and loaded" for renewed strikes against Iran if necessary. This comes after weeks of threats to return to a full-scale bombardment of Iran if Tehran remains unwilling to reach a negotiated settlement on terms acceptable to the US.
Iran's top security official, Mohsen Rezaei, has set seven conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and entering negotiations with Washington, including sanctions relief and the release of frozen Iranian assets. The situation remains tense, with the US and Iran at odds over the terms of a potential settlement.