WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Friday he had not yet decided whether to launch major military strikes against Iran, saying Tehran appeared to be taking negotiations with Washington more seriously despite escalating hostilities across the Middle East.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump dismissed suggestions that he had already approved a broader military campaign against Iran.
“No, I haven’t,” Trump said when asked whether he had decided to launch major strikes.
“We’re talking to them right now. I think they’re getting more and more serious as the days go by, for maybe the obvious reason,” he added.
Trump said Iran faced a choice between reaching an agreement with Washington or confronting “a much higher level” of military action following nearly two weeks of fighting that has effectively shattered an earlier ceasefire.
He declined to say what would trigger a final decision but reiterated that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon remained Washington’s red line.
Iran Claims New Attacks on US Assets
Iran said it had launched fresh retaliatory strikes targeting US military assets in Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait following recent American attacks.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also claimed responsibility for an attack on an Amazon data centre in Bahrain, according to Iranian state media. Neither Bahrain, Amazon, nor US officials immediately confirmed the claim.
Bahrain’s Interior Ministry said air raid sirens sounded again early on Saturday, urging residents to remain calm and seek shelter.
The United States has said its military operations are aimed at preventing Iran from disrupting shipping through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has previously retaliated by striking US military bases, killing four American service members.
China Pushes for Renewed Diplomacy
Amid the escalating conflict, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Iranian counterpart, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, in Kyrgyzstan, where he called for the early resumption of negotiations.
According to China’s Xinhua news agency, Wang urged all parties to implement the existing memorandum of understanding aimed at reducing tensions in the Middle East and the Gulf region.
“The door to negotiations, once opened, should not be closed, and as long as there is hope for peace, it should not be given up,” Wang said.
The diplomatic initiative comes as efforts to revive a broader agreement have stalled amid continuing clashes and disputes over the Strait of Hormuz.
