The Oval Office just put the Iran endgame in two words that do not need a translator. President Donald Trump told reporters Wednesday he would decide “very soon” whether to “blow up” Iran — as Tehran said it had received Washington’s formal reply to its proposal to end the seven-month war, Politico reported.
“We have to make that decision: We blow them up or make a deal,” Trump said. Asked how he planned to negotiate with Iranian officials, he answered: “Maybe you blow them up.”
Iran’s plan, floated during last week’s U.N. General Assembly, called for reopening the Strait of Hormuz within a week and restarting nuclear talks. In return, Tehran wanted the U.S. to lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports, waive sanctions on Iranian oil sales, release frozen Iranian assets, and accept a ceasefire on all fronts.
Trump publicly rejected that package Saturday, saying Iran wanted a deal because it was “losing so badly” — and that Tehran’s terms would not be acceptable even if he still wants a deal of his own. Al Jazeera’s Oct. 1 live coverage tracked the same blow-up-or-deal framing as the war clock keeps ticking.
Sources: Politico; Al Jazeera
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