US President Donald Trump on Monday issued a fresh warning to Iran amid former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s ongoing funeral, saying Washington would either reach a deal with Tehran or “finish
the job”, while insisting that he preferred a diplomatic solution over military action.
Speaking at the White House, Trump said the United States had the capability to cripple Iran’s infrastructure within hours but stressed that he would rather secure an agreement than harm the Iranian people.
His remarks came as tensions remained high despite ongoing US-Iran negotiations and amid fresh exchanges between Washington and Tehran following the funeral of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
‘Make a deal or finish the job’
Trump said the United States had overwhelming military capability and warned Iran against refusing a deal. “We’re going to win one way or the other. We’re going to either make a deal or we’re going to finish the job—and it won’t be tough to finish the job,” he said.
He added that he preferred diplomacy over conflict. “I’d rather make a deal because I don’t want to affect 91 million people. We can knock down their bridges in one hour,” Trump said.
The US President also claimed Iran’s key infrastructure could be destroyed quickly. “In a small part of an afternoon, every plant will be gone. And they know that,” Trump said.
“And it won’t be difficult to finish the job.” He further said, “We can knock down their bridges in one hour. We can knock out their energy supply… their plants… they don’t have any money now.”
The statement came as mourners attending Khamenei’s funeral chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Trump”.
Trump on Iran’s nuclear programme
Trump also referred to the ongoing negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme and said the United States would ensure Tehran did not acquire nuclear weapons.
He claimed Washington would secure Iran’s enriched nuclear material as part of a deal.
“Oil is now at a level that, I think it’s even lower, on a barrel basis, than it was before we started. We’ve gotten concessions, and they have to hold those concessions, but there’ll be no nuclear weapon. We’re going to be getting the, as I call it, dust; the enriched material—nuclear dust,” Trump said.
‘Not looking for regime change’: Trump
Despite his strong warning, Trump said he was not seeking a change in Iran’s leadership.
According to Reuters, Trump said he was not looking for regime change in Iran.
Speaking to Axios earlier, he said the country’s leaders remained essential for negotiations. “They are all there. One shot [and we can take them all out], but we are not going to do that because then we would have nobody to negotiate with,” Trump told the US media outlet.
He also said he was surprised by the large crowds mourning Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“Maybe it’s fake tears,” Axios quoted Trump as saying, adding that he believed many Iranians were opposed to the late leader.
Iran hits back at Trump
Iran strongly criticised Trump’s remarks. In a post on X, the Iranian Embassy in Armenia said the United States would never understand the public mourning over Khamenei because it “neither has civilisation, history, nor honour”. The embassy’s statement came after the US celebrated the 250th anniversary of its independence on July 4.
Referring to the crowds that gathered for Khamenei’s funeral, the embassy said, “People can be killed, but ideals cannot. You killed Ayatollah Khamenei, but in reality, you broke a perfume bottle whose scent spread everyplace. You don’t understand these things because you have neither civilisation, nor history, nor honor.”
