President Donald Trump delivered a direct warning to Tehran on Monday, signaling that the window for Iran to reach an acceptable nuclear agreement is rapidly closing and that the regime faces severe military consequences if it continues to stall negotiations. The President conveyed his message publicly on Truth Social and reiterated it in a phone interview with Axios, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
"get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them," — President Donald Trump, Truth Social
"Iran had better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them," President Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding, "TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!" He further elaborated to Axios that if Tehran fails to substantially improve its negotiating position, "they are going to get hit much harder." Despite the stern warnings, President Trump indicated his belief that Iran still desires a deal but stressed the necessity for a rapidly produced, stronger proposal to avert significantly harsher U.S. action.
White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly affirmed on Monday that U.S. policy toward Iran remains unchanged. Kelly reiterated that Tehran must definitively abandon its nuclear ambitions, identifying demands for Iran to cease retaining enriched uranium and completely halt its nuclear program as firm red lines. These statements underscore the ongoing impasse in nuclear talks, which have repeatedly broken down due to fundamental disagreements between the parties.
Negotiations have stalled over Iran's rejection of key U.S. demands regarding its nuclear program and its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Instead, Iran has proposed separate negotiations, offering to dilute some enriched uranium and transfer the remainder to a third country. A provision within this offer stipulates that the uranium would be returned to Iran if Washington were to withdraw from any eventual agreement, a point of contention for U.S. negotiators. President Trump expressed frustration with Iran's shifting positions, noting that Iranian negotiators had previously indicated a willingness to allow the U.S. to retrieve Tehran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, only to omit this concession from their formal response. "They did two days ago," President Trump said, referring to the earlier indication, "But they changed their mind because they didn’t put it in the paper." President Trump also specified that any suspension of Iranian nuclear activity must be robust and long-lasting, stating, "It’s got to be a real 20 years, not a fake 20."
With diplomatic efforts at an apparent standstill, senior U.S. officials are reportedly preparing for more forceful options. President Trump is expected to convene his national security team on Tuesday in the White House Situation Room to discuss potential military actions against Iran, according to Axios, which cited two American officials familiar with the plans.
These developments occur against a backdrop of intensifying regional conflict, now in its eleventh week between the U.S. and Israel on one side and Iran on the other. The conflict has seen gas prices continue to climb, exacerbated by a double naval blockade choking the vital Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments.
On the ground, Israel has continued its operations across the region. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed an airstrike in Lebanon that resulted in the death of Wael Mahmoud Abd al-Halim, identified as the Islamic Jihad commander for the Beqaa region. The IDF reported conducting 30 strikes across Lebanon within a 24-hour period, targeting what it described as militant infrastructure. This included "a weapon storage facility, observation posts, and structures from which the Hezbollah terrorist organization operated in order to advance terror attacks against IDF soldiers and the State of Israel."
Tensions have also escalated significantly in the Gulf, posing a threat to the stability of the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords. A drone attack triggered a fire at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with one drone striking an electrical generator outside the facility's inner perimeter. Two of the three attacking drones were intercepted and shot down. Authorities reported no radiation increase and no injuries. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated it is closely monitoring the situation and called for "maximum military restraint" near nuclear facilities.
Following the attack, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Dr. Sultan Al Jaber issued a strong statement. "The targeting of Barakah is a terrorist attack on a peaceful project, built to the highest safety standards, that powers homes, hospitals, and industries across the UAE, and on the right of every nation to build, to progress, and to deliver clean energy to its people. Barakah will keep running," Al Jaber declared. He added, "The UAE will keep building. Our resolve only grows stronger." In a notable escalation of rhetoric, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesperson subsequently declared the UAE an "immediate operational target" in any future conflict, even as Iran presented a new 14-point proposal to negotiators. Simultaneously, Saudi Arabia announced it had intercepted and destroyed three drones that originated from Iraq, warning that it reserved the right to respond "at the appropriate time and place."
