Trump says he would consider bombing Iran again, drops plan to lift sanctions
By
Trevor Hunnicutt
and
Steve Holland
, Reuters
US President Donald Trump
Photo:
SAUL LOEB / AFP
US President Donald Trump sharply criticised Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamanei, dropped plans to lift sanctions on Iran, and said he would consider bombing Iran again if Tehran is enriching uranium to worrisome levels.
Trump reacted sternly to Khamanei's first remarks after a 12-day conflict with Israel that ended when the United States launched bombing raids last weekend against Iranian nuclear sites.
Khamanei said Iran "slapped America in the face" by launching an attack against a major US base in Qatar following the US bombing raids. Khamanei also said Iran would never surrender.
Trump said he had spared Khamanei's life. US officials told Reuters on 15 June that Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan to kill the supreme leader.
"His Country was decimated, his three evil Nuclear Sites were OBLITERATED, and I knew EXACTLY where he was sheltered, and would not let Israel, or the U.S. Armed Forces, by far the Greatest and Most Powerful in the World, terminate his life," Trump said in a social media post.
"I SAVED HIM FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH," he said.
Iran said a potential nuclear deal was conditional on the US ending its "disrespectful tone" toward the Supreme Leader.
"If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran's Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei, and stop hurting his millions of heartfelt followers," Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a post on X.
Trump also said that in recent days he had been working on the possible removal of sanctions on Iran to give it a chance for a speedy recovery. He said he had now abandoned that effort.
"I get hit with a statement of anger, hatred, and disgust, and immediately dropped all work on sanction relief, and more," he said.
Trump said at a White House news conference that he did not rule out attacking Iran again, when asked about the possibility of new bombing of Iranian nuclear sites if deemed necessary at some point.
"Sure, without question, absolutely," he said.
Trump said he would like inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency - the UN nuclear watchdog - or another respected source to be able to inspect Iran's nuclear sites after they were bombed last weekend.
Trump has rejected any suggestion that damage to the sites was not as profound as he has said.
The IAEA chief, Rafael Grossi, said that ensuring the resumption of IAEA inspections was his top priority as none had taken place since Israel began bombing on 13 June.
However, Iran's parliament approved moves to suspend such inspections. Araqchi indicated that Tehran may reject any request by the head of the agency for visits to Iranian nuclear sites.
Trump said Iran still wants to meet about the way forward. The White House said that no meeting between the US and an Iranian delegation has been scheduled thus far.
-
Reuters
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
38 minutes ago
- RNZ News
US Senate Republicans push ahead on Trump's sweeping tax-cut, spending bill
By Richard Cowan , David Morgan and Nicole Johnson , Reuters US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks to reporters following a Senate Republican luncheon, in the US Capitol on 27 June in Washington, DC. Photo: AFP / AL DRAGO US Senate Republicans say they are set to vote on President Donald Trump's sweeping tax-cut and spending bill after agreeing on changes to address concerns about funding for rural hospitals and the deductibility of state taxes. Several Republican senators who had previously expressed hesitancy about voting for the bill told reporters that their concerns had been assuaged and that they were ready to vote to clear a first procedural hurdle in the coming hours. The bill is Trump's top legislative goal. With his fellow Republicans controlling both chambers, Congress has so far not rejected any of Trump's priorities. The 940-page megabill would extend the 2017 tax cuts that were Trump's main legislative achievement during his first term as president, cut other taxes and boost spending on the military and border security. Nonpartisan analysts estimate that a version passed by the House of Representatives last month would add about US$3 trillion (NZ$5 trillion) to the US$36.2 trillion (NZ$60 trillion) US government debt. The Congressional Budget Office has not released a forecast for how much the Senate version - still subject to change - would add to the debt if enacted. The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget public policy organisation on Saturday said its preliminary estimate is that the Senate version would add US$4 trillion (NZ$7 trillion) to the debt over the next decade, including interest costs. "If you thought the House bill borrowed too much - and it did - the Senate manages to make things even worse," Maya MacGuineas, the group's president, said in a statement. The White House said this month that the legislation, titled the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, would reduce the annual deficit by US$1.4 trillion (NZ$2.3 trillion). Democrats opposed the bill, saying its tax-cut elements would disproportionately benefit the wealthy at the expense of social programs relied upon by lower-income Americans. Republican Senators Josh Hawley of Missouri and Susan Collins of Maine, who had opposed concern about tax-code changes that could hurt rural hospitals, told reporters they were ready to move forward. A successful vote would kick off a lengthy process, as Democrats unveil a series of amendments unlikely to pass in a chamber that Republicans control 53-47. "By passing this bill now, we will make our nation more prosperous and secure," Senate Budget Committee Lindsey Graham said in a statement accompanying the bill text. "It is hard to believe that Republican Senators - in the dead of night - made the bill even worse than their initial awful proposal," top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer wrote on social media. "This bill virtually wipes out all wind and solar. We have to fight it." It is hard to believe that Republican Senators—in the dead of night—made the bill even worse than their initial awful proposal. This bill virtually wipes out all wind and solar. We have to fight it. Republicans from states with large rural populations have opposed a reduction in state tax revenue for Medicaid providers including rural hospitals. The newly released legislation would delay that reduction and would include US$25 billion (NZ$41 billion) to support rural Medicaid providers from 2028 to 2032. "If you want to be a working-class party, you've got to get and deliver for working-class people," Hawley told reporters. "You cannot take away healthcare for working people." The legislation would raise the cap on federal deductions for state and local taxes to US$40,000 (NZ$60,000) with an annual 1 percent inflation adjustment through 2029, after which it would fall back to the current US$10,000 (NZ$16,500). The bill would also phase the cap down for those earning more than US$500,000 (NZ$825,000) a year. That is a major concern of House Republicans from coastal states including New York, New Jersey and California, who play an important role in keeping the party's narrow House majority. Republicans are using a legislative maneuver to bypass the Senate's 60-vote threshold to advance most legislation in the 100-member chamber. The narrow majorities for Republicans in the Senate and House mean they can afford no more than three no votes from the party in either chamber to advance a bill that Democrats are united in opposing. Democrats will focus their firepower with amendments aimed at reversing Republican spending cuts to programs that provide government-backed healthcare to the elderly, poor and disabled, as well as food aid to low-income families. The bill also would raise the Treasury Department's debt ceiling by trillions of dollars to stave off a potentially disastrous default on the nation's debt in the coming months. If the Senate manages to pass the bill by early next week, the House would be poised to quickly apply the final stamp of approval, sending it to Trump for signing into law. - Reuters
RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
Iran holds funeral for commanders, scientists killed in war with Israel
This handout picture provided by the Iranian foreign ministry shows Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi mourning next to the coffin of Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Hossein Salami, who was killed during Israeli strikes on the first day of the war, during a state funeral procession at Enghelab (Revolution) Square in the capital Tehran on 28 June. Photo: AFP / HO / IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY Large crowds of mourners dressed in black lined streets in Iran's capital Tehran as the country held a funeral for top military commanders, nuclear scientists and some of the civilians killed during this month's aerial war with Israel. At least 16 scientists and 10 senior commanders were among those mourned at the funeral, according to state media, including armed forces chief Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Revolutionary Guards commander General Hossein Salami, and Guards Aerospace Force chief General Amir Ali Hajizadeh. Photo: AFP / ATTA KENARE Their coffins were driven into Tehran's Azadi Square adorned with their photos and national flags, as crowds waved flags and some reached out to touch the caskets and throw rose petals onto them. State-run Press TV showed an image of ballistic missiles on display. Mass prayers were later held in the square. Women mourners holding posters of Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Hossein Salami sit on the edge of the pavement watching the funeral of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander and other military commanders killed in Israeli strikes on Iran, during their funeral procession at Enghelab (Revolution) Square in the capital Tehran on 28 June. Photo: AFP / ATTA KENARE State TV said the funeral, dubbed the "procession of the Martyrs of Power", was held for a total of 60 people killed in the war, including four women and four children. In attendance were President Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior figures including Ali Shamkhani, who was seriously wounded during the conflict and is an adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as well as Khamenei's son Mojtaba. Mourners stand next to the coffin of Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Hossein Salami (front), and other military commanders killed during Israeli strikes on the first day of the war, during their funeral procession at Enghelab (Revolution) Square in the capital Tehran on 28 June. Photo: AFP / ATTA KENARE "Today, Iranians, through heroic resistance against two regimes armed with nuclear weapons, protected their honour and dignity, and look to the future prouder, more dignified, and more resolute than ever," Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who also attended the funeral, said in a Telegram post. There was no immediate statement from Khamenei, who has not appeared publicly since the conflict began. In past funerals, he led prayers over the coffins of senior commanders ahead of public ceremonies broadcast on state television. Israel launched the air war on 13 June, attacking Iranian nuclear facilities and killing top military commanders as well as civilians in the worst blow to the Islamic Republic since the 1980s war with Iraq. - Reuters
RNZ News
10 hours ago
- RNZ News
A Trump political dynasty? His son Eric says maybe
Eric Trump Photo: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP Donald Trump's second son has fuelled speculation that his family seeks to establish a multi-generational political dynasty, saying he and other relatives may run for public office. Eric Trump told the Financial Times that a political career would be "would be an easy one" for family members, as they look beyond President Trump's second term that ends in 2029. Eric, 41, is a fierce defender of his father on TV networks, while older brother Don Jr. is a key player in the Trump inner circle, using his podcast and social media presence to fire up the president's base. "The real question is: 'Do you want to drag other members of your family into it?'" Eric Trump said in an interview. "If the answer was yes, I think the political path would be an easy one, meaning, I think I could do it," he said. "And by the way, I think other members of our family could do it too." Trump's children and his close family have long been involved in his business life, and have also taken major roles as he moved into politics and took the White House in 2017. In Trump's first term, his daughter Ivanka and husband Jared Kushner held senior administration posts, though they have retreated from the political frontlines for now. Eric's wife Lara Trump co-led the national Republican Party during the last election campaign - receiving lavish praise from the candidate - and she now has her own show on Fox News. Barron Trump, the president's only child with wife Melania, is aged 19, but his father says he is interested in politics and helped him to draw in young male voters via podcasts and TikTok. Kai Trump, 18, daughter of Don Jr. and ex-wife Vanessa Trump, spoke at last year's Republican National Convention and is a competitive junior golfer. Eric Trump told the Financial Times he was "wholly unimpressed by half the politicians I see" adding "I could do it very effectively." Asked if a Trump would stand for election in future, he replied "I don't know... Time will tell. But there's more people than just me." Eric and Don Jr. run the Trump family business, which now includes a growing cryptocurrency portfolio. Eric Trump denied any conflicts of interest, saying "if there's one family that hasn't profited off politics, it's the Trump family. "The opportunity cost, the legal cost, the toll it's taken on our family has been astronomical." The Trumps are widely believed to have taken the monetising of their powerful status to unprecedented levels for US first families. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has agreed to finance a film about Melania Trump, reportedly netting her $28 million. Other close family are involved in multi-billion-dollar real estate deals abroad, and Don Jr. is launching a Washington club where membership reportedly costs more than half a million dollars. In May, President Trump hosted a dinner at one of his golf clubs for investors in his $TRUMP cryptocurrency, which he launched shortly before reentering the White House. Seats went to investors who bought the most of the currency, with the top 25 holders gaining a private reception with Trump himself. - AFP
