Trump warns Iran of harsher retaliation if it rearms, signals openness to new talks

US President Donald Trump delivered a stern warning to Iran on Monday, declaring that any attempt to resume prohibited military activity could provoke consequences “more powerful than the last time,” while simultaneously leaving the door ajar for renewed diplomacy with Tehran.

Speaking at Mar-a-Lago alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump painted a picture of a volatile Middle East where Iran’s ambitions could jeopardize regional peace. “Iran may be behaving badly,” he said, “but if it’s confirmed… consequences will be very powerful.” Citing intelligence reports, he warned that Iran, after earlier US strikes obliterated key sites, might be scouting alternative locations — a move he described as a “big mistake.”

Yet, Trump did not close the door on dialogue. Asked about supporting bilateral talks with Iran, he replied simply, “Yeah. I would. Sure,” recalling previous attempts to negotiate before tensions escalated. “I said, let’s negotiate, and they didn’t believe what was going to happen would happen. Now they believe me,” he said, underscoring his dual strategy of deterrence coupled with diplomacy.

Trump framed curbing Iran’s influence as essential for broader regional stability. “If they build up, there can’t be peace in the Middle East,” he said, echoing Netanyahu, who linked a weakened Iran to a more secure region. Trump elaborated that past US interventions had shifted the regional balance of power, preventing Iran from dominating the Middle East entirely, but warned that any resurgence would threaten the delicate equilibrium.

Turning to Syria, Trump praised the country’s new leadership, calling the president “a very strong guy,” while Netanyahu highlighted Israel’s priorities: border security and the protection of minority communities, particularly Druze and Christians. Trump also credited Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his role in Syrian developments.

On Lebanon, Trump expressed concern over Hezbollah’s actions, remarking, “Hezbollah has been behaving badly. So we’ll see what happens.” Throughout the press conference, he balanced a firm stance with the prospect of dialogue, reflecting the administration’s “maximum pressure” strategy, which combines robust deterrence with the possibility of negotiation.

In essence, Trump’s message was clear: Iran’s ambitions will meet forceful resistance, but a pathway to diplomacy remains open — a delicate dance of power and persuasion that underscores the precarious nature of peace in the Middle East.

With IANS inputs