Trump Gives Iran Choice Between Deal or 'Much More Severe Level'

US President Donald Trump said he had not yet made a decision on launching broader strikes against Iran, as Tehran appeared to be showing “greater seriousness” in negotiations with Washington, amid an expanding conflict in the region. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, responding to a question about whether he had made a decision, “No, I have not made a decision yet,” adding, “We are talking to them now. I think they are showing greater seriousness day by day, and the reason is probably clear.” He said Iran had two options: either reach an agreement or face a level of strikes “much more severe.”

For his part, Ali Abdollahi, commander of Iran’s “Seal of the Prophets” base, stressed that “the base we previously demonstrated to the enemy as an operational base is now, from this moment on, the final equation and officially declared on the battlefield: for every proud Iranian who is martyred, an American soldier will be sent to hell.”

Politically, three Pakistani sources said Islamabad was exploring a path to resume stalled talks between the United States and Iran over ending the war that has been raging between them for about five months, as part of a diplomatic initiative launched by China, while the Sultanate of Oman intensified its communications with Tehran regarding navigation security and the regulation of ship movements in the Strait of Hormuz.