U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a fresh warning to Iran, declaring that the country will “have to pay the price” for taking too long to negotiate a deal aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
In a post shared on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, Trump claimed that Iran’s military had been “completely defeated” and described the country as the “Bully of the Middle East.”
“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 remarks signal a sharp shift from the more optimistic tone Trump struck just a day earlier. On Tuesday, he told reporters that negotiations toward a lasting settlement were in their “final throes” and could be concluded within “two or three days.”
The latest escalation comes after the United States and Iran exchanged military strikes, raising concerns about the stability of a ceasefire that took effect in April.
Late Tuesday, U.S. forces reportedly launched strikes against Iranian targets in response to the downing of an American helicopter on Monday. Iranian media reported explosions along the country’s southern coast following the attacks.
The U.S. Central Command later stated that American Air Force and Navy operations targeted command-and-control facilities, as well as defense and surveillance installations.
Iran, in turn, announced on Wednesday that it had launched attacks on American military bases located in Jordan and Bahrain, further intensifying tensions between the two countries.
The renewed hostilities have cast doubt on the prospects for a negotiated settlement and raised fears of a broader regional confrontation, despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.
