Iran indicated on Wednesday that a fresh military conflict in the Middle East remains unlikely despite its forces being braced for escalation, even as U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Washington is prepared to “finish the job” if diplomatic talks collapse.
The friction underscores the volatility surrounding international efforts to avert a wider regional crisis, which has already shaken global energy sectors and jeopardized maritime traffic around the critical Strait of Hormuz.
Addressing reporters during a televised cabinet meeting, Trump asserted that Tehran still desires a diplomatic resolution with the United States.
“Iran is very much intent, they want very much to make a deal. So far they haven’t gotten there. We’re not satisfied with it, but we will be,” Trump stated. “Either that or we’ll have to just finish the job,” he threatened.
The U.S. President also directed a sharp warning toward Oman when questioned about a potential interim agreement that would grant Iran and Oman joint oversight of the Strait of Hormuz.
“No, the strait is going to be open to everybody,” Trump countered. “It’s international waters and Oman will behave just like everybody else or we’ll have to blow them up. They understand that, they’ll be fine.”
The White House has yet to clarify if Trump’s remarks regarding Oman were a misstatement. The Gulf nation has consistently acted as a neutral intermediary between Washington and Tehran, despite reportedly enduring conflict-related attacks.
Shortly after these developments, Iranian state media reported that three distinct explosions echoed near the southern port city of Bandar Abbas at approximately 1:30 a.m. local time on Thursday.
Hours prior to the blasts, Mohammad Akbarzadeh, an official with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, dismissed the threat of an imminent conflict, attributing the calm to the vulnerabilities of Iran’s adversaries.
“Likelihood of war is low because of the enemy’s weakness,” Akbarzadeh claimed.
However, the military official emphasized that Tehran’s forces are not letting their guard down, noting that the military is “lying in wait with full magazines” to repel any potential aggression, according to the Tasnim news agency.
Trump, who had previously suggested over the weekend that a diplomatic breakthrough with Iran was imminent, reiterated during the cabinet session that he feels no pressure to expedite the negotiation process.