US President Donald Trump on Sunday hinted at the possibility of resuming military strikes against Iran, saying the United States may eventually have to deliver a "devastating blow" to Tehran, despite expressing his desire to give diplomatic efforts a chance to end the war.
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Trump made the remarks during an election rally in Iowa, on the eve of the US midterm elections, saying: "The only reason I haven't finished with Iran yet is that I want to be nice (...) and try to save all those lives if I can. But at some point, we will have to deliver a devastating blow to them."
Meanwhile, Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed developments in negotiations with Iran and the possibility of escalating military operations against the country during a phone call on Saturday, according to US news website Axios, citing an American official and an Israeli official.
The website reported that Netanyahu urged Trump to launch strikes against Iran immediately after the midterm elections, while the US president expressed a preference for giving negotiations another chance. An Israeli official described the call as "difficult," while a US official said it was "direct."
Since the outbreak of the war against Iran nearly eight months ago, Trump has pursued two parallel approaches: conducting airstrikes and military operations while simultaneously seeking an agreement that would lead to peace talks and the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to oil and gas tankers.
On Saturday, Trump said negotiations with Iran to end the war were "going very well," but added that Tehran was "not entirely trustworthy."
He also claimed that the United States had eliminated Iran's nuclear capabilities, noting that one or two sites still needed to be dealt with, but said completing the task could take just ten minutes.
The phone call between Trump and Netanyahu came after Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei revealed on Saturday that he had received a message from US Vice President JD Vance in an effort to revive stalled negotiations.
As part of mediation efforts, a Qatari delegation travelled to Tehran on Friday for talks with Iranian officials, signaling that diplomatic efforts to resume negotiations are continuing.
These developments come as Trump faces growing domestic pressure over the war, amid rising public frustration with fuel prices and the cost of living ahead of Tuesday's midterm elections, the outcome of which could affect the balance of power in Congress.
Iran, meanwhile, warned on Sunday that any renewed war with the United States could last longer than the previous conflict, stressing that Washington would not have the final say over when it ends.
The warning came a day after President Donald Trump hinted at the possibility of launching fresh strikes against Iranian targets.
Iranian army spokesman Mohammad Akrami-Nia said: "Any future war could last longer than the previous one, and the US president will not be in a position to dictate when it ends or the terms under which it ends," according to Iranian state television.
