U.S. President Donald Trump issued a fresh ultimatum to Iran on Sunday, warning that Washington would “finish the job” if Tehran fails to reach a nuclear agreement, while threatening to target the country’s energy infrastructure.
“Either Washington reaches an agreement with Iran, or America will finish the job,” Trump said, adding that the United States could disrupt Iran’s energy supplies and destroy major power stations “in a small part of an afternoon.”
Trump expressed confidence that Tehran would ultimately prefer negotiations over renewed conflict, citing what he described as significant leverage gained during the military campaign earlier this year.
The warning comes as indirect technical talks between Washington and Tehran continue in Qatar, more than three weeks after the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on June 17. Officials on both sides have described the negotiations as difficult, with disputes persisting over terms both parties had said were previously settled.
The talks follow a ceasefire reached in April that ended a war launched by the U.S. and Israel against Iran in February, though sporadic flare-ups have continued since. Sticking points in the broader negotiations include the fate of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, the dismantling of its nuclear program, and the unfreezing of Iranian financial assets.
Iranian officials have said an agreement has “never been closer,” even as they continue to reject wider demands to scale back Tehran’s missile program.
