Trump says Iran ‘taken too long to negotiate,’ warns it will ‘pay the price’
TLE Desk: US President Donald Trump has said Iran has “taken too long” to reach a negotiated settlement over the ongoing Middle East conflict and warned that it would now “have to pay the price,” reports AFP.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, Trump claimed that Iran’s military had been “completely defeated” and sharply escalated his 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 remarks came amid heightened tensions following recent exchanges of fire between US and Iranian forces, which have strained a ceasefire agreement that came into effect in April.
Trump’s statement marked a shift from his comments on Tuesday, when he told reporters that negotiations toward a longer-term settlement were in their “final throes” and could be concluded within days.
On Tuesday night, US forces reportedly conducted strikes in response to the downing of an American helicopter earlier in the week, with explosions later reported along Iran’s southern coast, according to Iranian media.
US Central Command said the operation involved coordinated action by the US Air Force and Navy targeting command-and-control, defence and surveillance infrastructure.
Iran, meanwhile, said it had launched attacks on US bases in Jordan and Bahrain on Wednesday, further escalating the confrontation.
The situation remains highly volatile as diplomatic efforts continue alongside military exchanges.
