Trump says US may attack Iran again but that Tehran wants deal

Trump Iran attack threat signals renewed US strikes possible but Tehran seeks deal

By Muhammad Asghar | GlobalBeat

President Donald Trump told reporters Sunday the United States could bomb Iran again because Tehran “wants to make a deal” to avoid wider war.

The 12th air strike of his second term hit a missile facility near Isfahan overnight, two days after Iran launched 180 drones toward Israel. No casualties were reported from either attack.

The back-to-back exchanges mark the first direct Iran-US military clash since Trump left office in 2021. They have scrambled diplomacy across the Gulf and sent oil prices up $4 a barrel.

Trump spoke outside his Bedminster golf club in New Jersey before boarding Marine One. “We struck very hard. We can do it again,” he said, adjusting his red tie. “Iran is hurting. They would like to negotiate.”

The president said US intelligence showed Iran’s missile production line had suffered “major degradation” and listed three underground complexes he claimed were destroyed. The Pentagon released grainy cockpit footage of smart bombs hitting a concrete bunker.

Iranian state media acknowledged “limited damage” at a Defense Ministry research site but gave no death toll. Tehran’s UN mission emailed reporters that the attack caused “$50 million in losses” and vowed retaliation if the US escalates again.

Trump reinstated the so-called “maximum pressure” campaign days after taking office, blacklisting 25 Iranian banks and blocking two tankers from delivering Chinese crude. The sanctions have cut Iranian exports to 450,000 barrels a day, half the level under Joe Biden.

Oil traders are watching the Strait of Hormuz, gateway for 20 percent of global supply. Brent crude spiked to $79 on the Singapore exchange before easing to $77. Analysts warn another $10 jump is likely if tanker insurance rates climb.

European allies urged restraint. “Further militarization helps nobody,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared in Berlin. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged both sides to “pull back from the brink” and floated UN-led nuclear talks.

Israel stayed silent on the US strike, but an Israeli security official confirmed to GlobalBeat that Tel Aviv shared targeting data with Washington. A Pentagon planner said that “real time intelligence” steered bombs into vents on the Isfahan silos.

Background

Trump abandoned the 2015 Iran nuclear accord during his first term and imposed 1,500 sanctions aiming to force Tehran into a harsher replacement covering missiles and regional proxies. Iran responded by breaching uranium enrichment caps and backing militias that shot rockets at US bases in Iraq.

Biden attempted indirect nuclear negotiations in 2022-2024 but talks collapsed after nationwide protests in Iran and US complaints about drone sales to Russia. Iran now holds 142 kg of uranium enriched to 60 percent, just below weapons grade, according to the latest International Atomic Energy Agency count.

Washington and Tehran came close to war in January 2020 when a US drone killed Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani at Baghdad airport. Iran fired missiles at an Iraqi base housing US troops, leaving more than 100 Americans with traumatic brain injuries but causing no deaths.

What’s Next

Trump gave US European Command 72 hours to draft options ranging from cyber raids to wider strikes on ports and Revolutioary Guard bases, an aide said. Tehran promised “immediate deterrent measures” if bombing resumes, without specifying timing.

Congress returns Monday from recess and Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed the House will vote within 48 hours on a war-powers resolution seeking to limit further presidential action without Capitol Hill approval. The measure is likely to fail along party lines but will test Republican unity behind Trump’s second-term hawkishness.