United States President Donald Trump has hinted at renewed military operations against Iran if Tehran fails to reach a diplomatic agreement.
Speaking at a campaign rally in Florida on Friday, Trump issued a stern warning to the Iranian leadership while reflecting on past national security actions.
Trump’s Warning and Past Military Operations
Addressing the crowd, Trump remarked, “We may do another little Epic Fury, or they’ll agree”. He added, “If they’re smart, they’ll just say, ‘Let’s get down to business.’ But, you know, I doubt they’ll do that because perhaps they’re not smart”.
Trump also highlighted previous joint military actions with Israel under ‘Operation Epic Fury’ in February, which resulted in the killing of Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his family members. Additionally, he noted that the US had “obliterated Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity with Operation Midnight Hammer” and defeated them militarily and financially.
Ambassador’s Remarks on Potential Weekend Strikes
The president’s comments followed statements by US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack, who suggested during a podcast interview with Mario Nawfal in the Gulf that a military strike against Iran could occur as early as this weekend. While Barrack does not have a direct role in formulating Iran policy, he emphasized that President Trump remains open to a diplomatic solution and has been at the negotiating table for months.
When reporters questioned Trump about his ambassador’s remarks regarding a possible weekend strike—and whether it conflicted with holding off until after the upcoming US midterm elections in early November—Trump responded, “That was my ambassador? He’s a pretty powerful man, I guess. If that’s the case, I don’t know anything about that”.
