U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a sharp warning to Iran’s leadership, injecting fresh tension into already fragile diplomatic efforts.
His remarks come just days before the first formal negotiations between Washington and Tehran since U.S. forces bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities last year.
Speaking in a recent interview, Trump said Iran’s supreme leader should be on edge.
“I would say he (supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei) should be very worried. Yeah, he should be,” Trump told NBC News.
Tensions have risen sharply in recent weeks. Iran has faced widespread anti-government protests, which were met with a deadly crackdown by security forces.
Meanwhile, the United States responded by deploying a military “armada” to the region. Therefore, the diplomatic window now appears narrow and uncertain.
The talks are scheduled for Friday in Muscat, Oman’s capital. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to meet Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff.
However, both sides are entering negotiations with very different priorities, raising doubts about progress.
According to U.S. officials, the discussions should go beyond Iran’s nuclear ambitions. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said talks must also address “the range of their ballistic missiles,” “their sponsorship of terrorist organizations across the region,” and “the treatment of their own people.” Iran, however, has pushed back strongly.
Iran’s state-linked Tasnim news agency reported that Tehran wants negotiations limited. Its focus remains on the nuclear program and the lifting of sanctions as its “primary demand.”
Trump also defended earlier military action. “If we didn’t take out that nuclear, we wouldn’t have peace in the Middle East,” he said. He added, “They were very, very afraid of Iran. They’re not afraid of Iran anymore.”
Moreover, Trump claimed Iran tried to revive its nuclear efforts elsewhere. “They tried to go back to the site. They weren’t even able to get near it,” he said. “There was total obliteration.” He warned further action would follow any new attempt.
Meanwhile, military encounters continue to raise alarm. On Tuesday, a U.S. aircraft carrier shot down an Iranian drone in the Arabian Sea. Hours later, Iranian gunboats reportedly threatened a U.S.-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.
