U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Iran, threatening overwhelming military retaliation amid escalating tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, nuclear negotiations, and reported anti-American rhetoric during the funeral of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The latest confrontation comes as Washington presses Tehran to provide assurances for the safety of international shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy corridor through which a significant share of the world’s oil and gas supplies transit.
Iran has rejected the demand, maintaining that it retains authority over activities in the strategic waterway and arguing that vessels using the route should pay fees to Tehran.
In a message posted on Truth Social, Trump said the United States had deployed substantial military assets in response to what he described as threats from Iran.
“A thousand missiles are locked and loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands more ready to follow should the Iranian government act on its threat,” Trump wrote.
The U.S. president linked the warning to reports that mourners at Khamenei’s funeral carried banners calling for the deaths of both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The sharp rhetoric follows a series of military confrontations between the two countries. Washington recently launched airstrikes on Iranian targets after accusing Tehran of attacking three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz earlier in the week. Iran subsequently retaliated with attacks targeting Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait and Qatar, further heightening fears of a wider regional conflict.
Trump also warned that the U.S. military could “completely decimate and destroy” Iranian targets if Tehran escalates hostilities, underscoring the increasingly confrontational tone adopted by both sides.
At the same time, senior U.S. officials revealed that Washington has given diplomacy only a limited timeframe to produce a new agreement with Iran. According to the officials, any future nuclear deal would require Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, cease attacks on commercial shipping, and relinquish its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
Speaking at the United Nations, Iran’s representative rejected international pressure, insisting that decisions regarding activities in the Strait of Hormuz, including reopening the waterway and conducting demining operations, fall solely under Iran’s authority.
Tehran has further challenged long-standing international norms by proposing that ships passing through the strait pay transit fees, a position that has sparked concern among major trading nations and energy-importing countries.
The dispute has renewed fears over global energy security. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s traded oil and natural gas moves through the Strait of Hormuz, making any disruption to the route a major concern for international markets. Although energy prices initially surged following the recent clashes, they have since moderated amid hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough.
Efforts to reduce tensions continued on Saturday as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi travelled to Oman for talks aimed at preventing further escalation. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also expressed optimism that diplomacy could still avert a deeper crisis.
However, Araghchi accused Washington of undermining ongoing negotiations after the United States revoked waivers that allowed Iran to sell crude oil in U.S. dollars.
“There can only be mutual compliance,” he wrote on X, arguing that both sides must honour commitments if talks are to succeed.
Despite renewed diplomatic efforts, U.S. officials reiterated that military options remain on the table should negotiations collapse. They insisted that Iran would not be permitted to retain uranium enriched to levels close to weapons-grade material.
Iran, for its part, continues to maintain that its nuclear programme is intended solely for peaceful purposes, even as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) raises concerns about the scale and nature of its uranium enrichment activities.
With tensions rising and both sides hardening their positions, the Strait of Hormuz remains at the centre of a high-stakes standoff that could have far-reaching consequences for regional stability and global energy markets.
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