Trump says he would consider bombing Iran again, drops sanctions relief plan
President Trump and Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamanei, are sparring in public following last week's U.S. bombing of three nuclear sites.
WASHINGTON, June 27 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Friday sharply criticized 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 U.S. base in Qatar following last weekend's U.S. bombing raid. Khamanei also said Iran would never surrender.
Trump said he had spared Khamanei's life. U.S. officials told Reuters on June 15 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.
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 has 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.
More: Key parts of Iran's nuclear program still intact, says Pentagon report disputed by Trump
"Sure, without question, absolutely," he said.
Trump said he would like inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency or another respected source to be able to inspect Iran's nuclear sites after they were bombed last weekend.
Trump said he believes the sites were "obliterated." He has rejected any suggestion that damage to the sites was not as profound as he has said.
But Trump said he would support the IAEA, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, going in to check the sites that were bombed.
The agency's chief, Rafael Grossi, said on June 25 that ensuring the resumption of IAEA inspections was his top priority as none had taken place since Israel began bombing on June 13.
However, Iran's parliament approved moves on June 25 to suspend such inspections. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi indicated on Friday that Tehran may reject any request by the head of the agency for visits to Iranian nuclear sites.
Trump also said he does not believe Iran wants to still seek a nuclear weapon after U.S. and Israeli bombing raids. He described Iran as "exhausted."
He said Iran still wants to meet about the way forward. The White House had said on June 26 that no meeting between the U.S. and an Iranian delegation has been scheduled thus far.
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USA Today
24 minutes ago
- USA Today
Iran crown prince: Israel weakened Iran regime. World must help finish the job
The international community's support of the Iranian people is crucial. The world must impose maximum pressure on the regime while offering maximum support to Iranians. The Islamic Republic once again dragged Iran into a war that was not ours. The missiles that flew between Tehran and Tel Aviv in recent days were the inevitable consequence of 46 years of terrorism, proxy warfare and reckless nuclear blackmail by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his regime. But within this dangerous situation lies an unprecedented opportunity − one that the Iranian people intend to capitalize on and the international community cannot afford to miss. The regime's response will be brutal. It is a wounded animal and is already lashing out by arresting and attacking Iranians. The regime's response to Israel's strikes on nuclear facilities and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps leadership reveals everything the world needs to know about those who have hijacked my beloved Iran. While claiming to defend Iranian sovereignty, they have systematically destroyed it. While promising strength, they have made Iran weaker and more isolated than ever. This was not Iran's war − it was Ali Khamenei's. It was the response of a desperate, flailing regime. Iranian people fill me with pride For more than four decades, I have advocated for nonviolent civil disobedience as the path to Iran's liberation. I have watched with immense pride as the Iranian people have risen time and again − in 1999, 2009, 2017, 2019 and most recently in 2022, after the death of Mahsa Amini while in custody of the "morality police." Each uprising has grown stronger, each protest has been more unified and each time, more voices have joined the call for fundamental change. The regime's foundation is cracking, and these recent military exchanges might have weakened it to the point of collapse. The Islamic Republic is profoundly weak. Behind the bluster and ballistic missiles lies a regime that has lost the support of its own people. Iranian protesters chant for the end of the Islamic Republic, desperately hoping for support to end this theocratic system. They know that external strikes − whether from Israel, the United States or another nation − will not achieve the fundamental transformation Iran needs. Real change must come from within. It must come from the Iranian people themselves, through coordinated nationwide strikes, sustained civil disobedience and mass demonstrations that make it impossible for this regime to function. The power to liberate Iran lies not in foreign militaries, but in the hands of Iranian workers, students, women and all those who dream of freedom. That is why the international community's support is so crucial at this pivotal moment. The world must impose maximum pressure on the regime while offering maximum support to the Iranian people. Opinion: I fled Iran as a child. 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Iranians are ready to take to the streets But windows of opportunity do not remain open indefinitely. The Iranian people are ready to finish what they have started in their previous rounds of protests. They are prepared to take to the streets in numbers that will dwarf previous uprisings. What they need now is the knowledge that the world stands with them − not with empty words, but with concrete actions that tip the balance decisively in their favor. The international community must understand that supporting the Iranian people's struggle for freedom is not just a moral imperative − it is a strategic necessity. Opinion: I survived war in Iran. There are millions like me whose lives are not theoretical. A democratic Iran would end the proxy wars that have destabilized the Middle East for decades. It would eliminate the nuclear threat that keeps the region on edge. It would restore Iran to its rightful place as a force for stability and progress rather than chaos and destruction. The regime leaders' decision to escalate this conflict with Israel demonstrates their complete disregard for Iranian lives and interests. They are willing to risk everything to preserve their grip on power. This recklessness should serve as a final wake-up call to anyone who still believes this regime can be reformed or reasoned with. Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store. Today's missiles may capture the world's attention, but tomorrow's freedom will be won in Iran's streets, factories and universities. The Iranian people have shown repeatedly that they possess the courage to confront tyranny. Now they need the international community to match their bravery with moral courage and meaningful support. The regime is weak. The people are ready. The moment is here. Let us not allow it to pass. Iran will be free, and when it is, the entire Middle East will be more peaceful and secure. The world must choose: Continue to manage this crisis, or help the Iranian people end it once and for all. Reza Pahlavi is the crown prince of Iran. He has advocated from exile for nonviolent resistance to Iran's Islamic Republic for more than four decades. You can read diverse opinions from our USA TODAY columnists and other writers on the Opinion front page, on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and in our Opinion newsletter.
an hour ago
Israel-Iran live updates: Senate rejects war powers resolution limiting Trump
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He laughed off the suggestion Israel would need "permission" from the U.S. He denied it was "forbidden" by the U.S. Iran still evaluating if and how they will continue work with IAEA, remain in NPT, Iranian FM says Iran is still evaluating if and how they will work with the International Atomic Energy Agency in light of a new bill passed in Iran's Parliament Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Iranian state TV Thursday. Whether or not Iran will stay in the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty, also known as the NPT, needs to be investigated, Araghchi said. Iran will "act accordingly with the interest of the country," he added. One of the reasons Iran cannot maintain the same relationship with the IAEA as it had before the 12-day war is because the IAEA did not condemn Israel and the US's attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities, he said. 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The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
House Democrats not convinced Iran nuclear capabilities wiped
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