Trump Says Iran Has 'Taken Too Long to Negotiate,' Warns It Will 'Pay the Price'
"The Bully of the Middle East is DEAD!!! They've taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, now they will have to pay the price!!!" Trump wrote.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – US President Donald Trump on Wednesday declared that Iran had taken too long to negotiate a deal over the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and warned that it would now "have to pay the price."
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed that the Iranian military had been "completely defeated" and used harsh rhetoric against Tehran.
"The Bully of the Middle East is DEAD!!! They've taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, now they will have to pay the price!!!" Trump wrote.
The comments came after the United States and Iran exchanged military strikes, raising tensions despite a ceasefire that took effect in April.
In a separate interview with Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst, Trump said that stalled peace negotiations had brought him closer to authorizing attacks on Iranian infrastructure, including power plants and bridges.
"I may keep going," Trump was quoted as saying. "They had a chance to sign a deal and survive."
The remarks marked a sharp shift from Trump's more optimistic assessment on Tuesday, when he told reporters that negotiations aimed at securing a lasting settlement were in their "final throes" and could be concluded within "two or three days."
In another social media post on Wednesday, Trump praised the US blockade of Iranian shipping, describing it as "the most successful" in history and calling it a "steel wall." He claimed the blockade had crippled Iranian commerce and prevented Tehran from paying military salaries while allowing other countries to continue exporting oil.
Late Tuesday, US forces announced they had carried out strikes against Iran in retaliation for the downing of an American helicopter a day earlier. Iranian media reported explosions along the country's southern coast, while US Central Command said the attacks targeted command and control, defense, and surveillance facilities.
Iran, meanwhile, said on Wednesday that it had launched attacks against American bases in Jordan and Bahrain, further intensifying the regional confrontation.