U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday evening that the United States plans to increase military pressure on Iran over the coming two to three weeks, repeating threats aimed at preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
Speaking from the White House, the president said Washington remained engaged in negotiations with Iran but warned of a looming campaign of force if no deal emerged. "We9re going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks... we9re going to bring them back to the stone ages," he said, adding that the U.S. was "close to completing all of America9s military objectives shortly."
Trump underscored his view that Iran's nuclear capabilities pose a grave danger, calling them a "sinister threat to America." He also asserted that U.S. operations had severely degraded Iran's naval and missile strike capacities and claimed that U.S. pressure had brought about regime change inside the country.
While saying "discussions were ongoing," the president did not indicate whether a formal ceasefire was imminent. He issued a stark warning about Iran's civilian power network, saying: "If there is no deal we are going to hit each and every one of their electric generating plants very hard and probably simultaneously."
Iranian officials largely denied that direct talks with Washington had taken place and rejected Trump's earlier assertions that it had requested a ceasefire, according to state media reports on Wednesday.
On the issue of maritime security, Trump reiterated that the U.S. would not take the lead in reopening the Strait of Hormuz after Tehran effectively restricted transit amid escalating hostilities involving U.S. and Israeli forces. He urged the nations that rely on the strait to assume responsibility for securing the corridor, saying they could "take care of that passage" and that they could "do it easily." He also suggested that countries either buy oil from the United States or "go to Hormuz and just take it."
The Strait of Hormuz is identified in U.S. statements as a critical shipping channel, supplying roughly 20% of the world's oil demand, and several South and East Asian countries are dependent on passage through the strait.
Earlier in the week, Trump had indicated that U.S. military operations in Iran would be wound down within two to three weeks. His comments on Wednesday indicate that any drawdown would follow a period of intensified military action.
The conflict in the region reached the one-month mark this week, with fighting showing few signs of abating late on Wednesday. Iranian forces were reported to have struck multiple targets in Israel and neighboring Gulf states, while Israeli forces were recorded striking targets across Iran.
Summary of developments
- President Trump announced plans to escalate military action against Iran within two to three weeks if negotiations do not yield an agreement.
- He threatened coordinated strikes on Iran's electric generating infrastructure and described Iran's nuclear program as a "sinister threat to America."
- Iran denied direct talks with Washington and rejected claims it had sought a ceasefire; the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively blocked, disrupting a channel that supplies about 20% of global oil demand.