Egypt Daily News – In the wake of Israeli strikes on Iranian targets overnight, President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Tehran, urging the regime to return to nuclear negotiations or face increasingly severe consequences.
President Trump confirmed that the United States “of course” supports Israel, describing the overnight strikes as a “very successful attack.” The strikes reportedly targeted Iranian military infrastructure and nuclear facilities.
“Iran should have listened to me,” Trump said. “I gave them a 60-day warning, and today is day 61. They need to come to the table before it’s too late. The people I was dealing with—well, they’re gone now. The hardliners are dead.”
While Trump did not specify which individuals he was referencing, his remarks underscore a more aggressive stance toward Tehran, contrasting sharply with statements from members of his administration. On Thursday evening, Secretary of State Marco Rubio sought to clarify the U.S. position, emphasizing that Washington had no involvement in the Israeli operation.
“Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region,” Rubio said in a statement.
According to a White House official, President Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday and had multiple conversations with him the previous day, including prior to the Israeli strikes. A source familiar with the discussions suggested that Trump views the Israeli response as a consequence of Iran’s failure to meet his administration’s 60-day deadline for reaching a new nuclear agreement.
Despite the sharp rhetoric, U.S. officials insist that the door to diplomacy remains open. Special envoy Steve Witkoff is reportedly prepared to meet Iranian officials, either in Oman as planned this Sunday or at a later date. Oman has served as a key intermediary in ongoing nuclear negotiations.
On social media, Trump reiterated his warning, writing that Iran must strike a deal “before there is nothing left,” and hinted at the possibility of further Israeli military action.
“I gave Iran chance after chance to make a deal,” Trump wrote. “They didn’t know what was about to happen. They are all DEAD now, and it will only get worse.”
Despite escalating tensions, a sixth round of nuclear talks is still technically scheduled to take place in Oman this weekend. Sources close to the process acknowledge, however, that holding the talks under the current circumstances is unlikely.
Trump’s remarks come amid growing concern among U.S. officials about the potential for broader conflict in the Middle East. Earlier this week, Tehran announced plans to escalate its nuclear program in response to a resolution by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that found Iran in violation of non-proliferation commitments.
When asked Thursday about the risk of an Israeli strike, Trump did not dismiss the possibility.
“I don’t want to say imminent, but it’s something that could very well happen,” he told reporters at the White House.
In anticipation of potential escalation, U.S. embassies in the region have been conducting emergency risk assessments, and American personnel are being warned of possible threats. Trump confirmed that he had ordered precautionary actions.
“We have a lot of Americans in the area,” he said. “I had to make the call. If something does happen, I didn’t want to be the one who didn’t give a warning.”
Despite his warnings to Iran, Trump maintained in a separate post on Truth Social that his administration remains committed to a diplomatic resolution.
“I want to have an agreement with Iran. We’re fairly close,” Trump said. “As long as I think there is an agreement, I don’t want [Israel] going in. That would blow it. Might help it, but also could blow it.”
With tensions mounting and diplomacy hanging by a thread, all eyes are now on whether the scheduled talks in Oman will proceed and whether Iran will respond to Trump’s ultimatum.
