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News Desk
US President Donald Trump in Washington, DC [File: Evan Vucci/Reuters]
US President Donald Trump has suggested that the United States could escalate military pressure on Iran, warning that Washington may be prepared to take further action if tensions continue to rise.
“There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started. If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Saturday.
The remarks come amid renewed geopolitical tensions in the Gulf region, with concerns over potential disruptions to maritime security and energy routes.
However, some defence analysts have cautioned against taking the statements literally. Wolfgang Pusztai, a defence analyst and former Austrian military attaché, told Al Jazeera that Trump’s comments are also aimed at domestic and international audiences.
“He is using these rather strong kinds of arguments, so I would not take all this literally,” Pusztai said, adding that such rhetoric is “quite typical”
and part of political messaging.
Pusztai further noted that the United States may be signaling readiness to “increase the military pressure again” and possibly revisit measures affecting the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route.
He also warned that any escalation could have wider regional implications, adding that “there is certainly a risk that the Gulf states are getting dragged back into this.”
The developments highlight ongoing uncertainty in US–Iran relations as diplomatic and security tensions continue to fluctuate.
