United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday issued a strong warning to Iran amid ongoing negotiations aimed at ending hostilities and securing a long-lasting peace deal. He stated that the US will respond if Iran breaks its agreement, asserting that recent conflict has greatly weakened Tehran, leaving it with no power over Washington.

Trump's Stark Warning To Iran

When asked by reporters about the future of the understanding reached between Washington and Tehran, Trump said, “If Iran doesn’t live up to their agreement, or if they’re not behaving, I will do what I have to do.” His remarks came after the recently concluded first round of technical talks between the two countries in Burgenstock, Switzerland, which was mediated by Pakistan and Qatar.

Trump Criticises Iran's Military

Trump also strongly criticised Iran's current military and political state, when asked if the new agreement gave Iran power over him, The US President claimed that Iran had suffered massive losses over the last four months, and he argued that reports saying the country was still strong were false. “Oh, their navy is gone. Their air force is gone. Their leaders are all dead. Their whole country is a mess. Their economy is shot," Trump said.

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He added, “Four months ago, they had a navy, 159 ships to be exact. It’s gone. The whole navy is gone. Their 250 airplanes, all gone. Their anti-aircraft is gone. Their radar is gone.” Trump, who did not attend the talks, has been issuing repeated warnings to Iran over compliance with the memorandum of understanding (MoU). Earlier on Monday, he said, “We’ll hit Iran very hard again” if they don’t “immediately stop their highly paid proxies in Lebanon from causing trouble.” 

Tehran Signals New Hormuz Policy

Meanwhile, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has asserted that the Strait of Hormuz will not return to its pre-war operational status, adding that Iran will manage the strategic waterway under its own arrangements. Speaking to Iranian state media upon his return from Switzerland, Ghalibaf said Iran would exercise control over the key maritime passage going forward.

"Everyone should know that the administration of the Strait of Hormuz will never go back to the way it was before the war," he said. Ghalibaf added, “Of course, international regulations will be observed, but Iran will administer the Strait of Hormuz.” He further stated that Iran proved its strong bargaining power during the recent meetings in Switzerland, claiming that Tehran successfully shaped the final results.

As proof of this diplomatic strength, Ghalibaf pointed out that Iran forced the US to change a social media post within an hour. In that post, Trump had warned Iran to stop supporting its regional allies, specifically referring to Hezbollah in Lebanon.

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