Iran will be destroyed if it does not accept US terms for resolving the conflict, US President Donald Trump said during a campaign rally in Syracuse, New York.
“If Iran does not accept our terms for an agreement, Iran will be destroyed“, Trump told his supporters. He presented the choice to Tehran as an opportunity to reach a deal or continue military action.
The rally was held at the “Nicholas J. Pirro“ Convention Center in support of Republican candidate for governor of New York Bruce Blakeman. The event was part of Trump's campaign ahead of the US midterm elections.
Washington leaves the door open for talks
The warning came amid the ongoing seven-month conflict between the US and Iran. At the same time, Trump said that the US team is holding productive talks with Tehran.
On October 8, the president indicated that the US would not resume military strikes against Iran before the midterm elections on November 3. However, he did not rule out a new escalation after the vote if a deal acceptable to Washington is not reached.
“I don't think the deal is something I really want to do, but they are willing to offer us anything to stop it“, Trump said at a previous rally in San Antonio, quoted by the Associated Press.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a major dispute
The United States and Iran signed an interim agreement in June that was supposed to launch 60-day talks on a permanent peace treaty. The agreement collapsed within weeks after renewed fighting and a dispute over control of the Strait of Hormuz.
The strait, which carried about a fifth of the world's oil before the war, now escorts some of the tankers while a blockade restricts Iranian oil exports. According to the Associated Press, shipping traffic remains significantly below pre-conflict levels.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had received a US counter-proposal and expected to give an official response within days. The contents of the document have not been made public.
Thus, the diplomatic channel remains open, but Trump's latest statement shows that the US threat of new military action continues to be part of the pressure on Iran. The next clearly stated deadline is November 3, when the US mid-term elections will be held.
Sources: apnews.com, washingtonpost.com