President Donald Trump warned Monday that the U.S. would respond forcefully if Iran attempts to rebuild its military or nuclear capabilities, saying any renewed threat from Tehran would bring consequences "more powerful" than previous actions.
Trump made the remarks while speaking to reporters alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after their meeting at the president's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The news conference aired live on Newsmax and the Newsmax2 free online streaming platform.
Asked how close the Middle East might be to another confrontation involving Iran, Trump said Tehran could be "behaving badly," while cautioning that intelligence assessments are still being reviewed.
He emphasized, however, that Iran understands the risks of further escalation.
"They know the consequences," Trump said. "Consequences will be very powerful, maybe more powerful than the last time."
America's B-2 bombers destroyed Iran's nuclear sites in June, though reports have suggested Tehran is working to rebuild parts of its military infrastructure.
Trump said Iran missed an earlier opportunity to de-escalate tensions.
"Iran should have made a deal the last time I gave them the option," he said. "I said, 'You can make a deal. Do it.'
"They didn't believe me. Now they believe me."
Pressed on whether the concern centers primarily on Iran's nuclear ambitions, Trump warned that if Tehran plans to gear up, "they're making a big mistake."
Trump said the U.S. remains open to diplomacy but made clear that deterrence remains central to U.S. policy toward Iran.
"I would support [bilateral discussions]," he said. "I said to them, 'Let's negotiate.' And they didn't believe what was going to happen would happen."
He added that Iran's regional influence has been weakened and cautioned against letting it recover.
"Iran has been greatly reduced in power, prestige," Trump said. "We can't let them build up again, because if they build up, there can't be peace in the Middle East."
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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