US President Donald Trump has warned Iran of severe consequences, including bombing and secondary tariffs, if Tehran refuses to negotiate a new nuclear deal with Washington. In his first comments since Iran rejected direct talks last week, Trump told NBC News that while discussions were ongoing, a failure to reach an agreement could lead to unprecedented military action.
“If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing—bombing the likes of which they have never seen before,” Trump said in a phone interview. He also hinted at reintroducing secondary tariffs, similar to those imposed four years ago, targeting countries that engage in trade with Iran.
Iran has remained firm in its stance against direct negotiations. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated on Sunday that while Tehran is open to indirect discussions, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ruled out direct talks as long as US sanctions and military threats persist. Iran recently conveyed this position through Oman in response to a letter from Trump urging a new agreement.
Beyond Iran, Trump also threatened to impose secondary tariffs on Russia, mirroring a recent executive order targeting buyers of Venezuelan oil. Speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday, he said a final decision on tariffs against Iran would be made in the coming weeks.
“We’ll probably give it a couple of weeks, and if we don’t see any progress, we’re going to put them on. We’re not putting them on right now. But if you remember, I did that six years ago, and it worked very well,” he said.
During his first term from 2017 to 2021, Trump withdrew the US from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which had placed strict limits on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Following the withdrawal, the US reimposed sweeping sanctions, prompting Iran to significantly expand its uranium enrichment efforts beyond the agreement’s restrictions.
Western nations have long accused Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons by enriching uranium to weapons-grade levels, a claim Tehran denies, insisting its program is solely for civilian energy purposes.
With tensions escalating, Iran has so far resisted Trump’s warnings, leaving the possibility of military action or economic penalties looming as both sides remain locked in a standoff.
Melissa Enoch
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