Trump says Iran is slowing nuclear talks, warns of renewed strikes

WASHINGTON, United States — U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran is using a delaying tactic in nuclear deal negotiations and that the United States will strike Iran again on Friday or "eliminate" it if no agreement is signed. Speaking to reporters, Trump said Iran's development of nuclear weapons is prohibited under all circumstances and that Washington is closely monitoring Tehran's activities. Trump said he does not know what Iranian leaders are doing, but argued that any deal would block Iran's path to a nuclear weapon. He contrasted the proposed arrangement with the 2015 Obama-era nuclear deal, which he said gave Tehran that capability, and added that the United States does not want an agreement similar to the 2015 framework and seeks peace for the Middle East and the world. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said it would not be "smart" for Iran to challenge the United States and called on Tehran to avoid further escalation. Trump had earlier linked the current tensions to a recent incident in which a U.S. Apache helicopter was shot down by Iran off the coast of Oman, saying Iran was dragging out the talks and would have to pay a price.