Trump Gives Iran ‘Last Chance’ To Sign Peace Deal Before ‘Decapitation’ Strikes
President Donald Trump issued what he called a final warning to Iran on Monday, declaring that Tehran has one “last chance before decapitation” to reach an agreement with the United States as he keeps a massive American military operation ready if diplomacy fails.
Speaking from the Oval Office, President Trump said negotiations are underway after Iran sought a diplomatic solution with backing from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Trump said he canceled a major U.S. attack over the weekend to give Tehran another opportunity to reach an agreement rather than face another devastating round of American strikes.
“This is a last chance,” Trump said, adding that he wants Iran to sign a satisfactory agreement before the United States resorts to what he described as “decapitation” strikes. The president indicated such an operation would target Iran’s leadership rather than simply military or infrastructure sites, dramatically raising the stakes for Tehran.
Trump said the first phase of a potential agreement involves fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the strategically critical shipping route that has been at the center of the conflict. He wants the waterway completely reopened as soon as Tuesday, restoring safe passage for international commercial shipping and helping stabilize global energy markets.
Once the Strait of Hormuz is reopened, Trump said negotiations would move into a second phase centered on Iran’s nuclear capabilities. The president reiterated his longstanding position that Tehran cannot be permitted to obtain a nuclear weapon and said the denuclearization issue would have to be resolved as part of any lasting settlement.
Iran, however, continues to publicly deny that it is negotiating directly with Washington. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Tehran is instead negotiating with Oman over arrangements for safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Despite those denials, Trump maintains that Iran requested negotiations and that diplomatic discussions are taking place.
President Trump acknowledged the enormous consequences of launching the military operation now under consideration, saying he would rather give Iran every possible opportunity to avoid it. But he also stressed that the attack remains planned and available if Tehran refuses to make the concessions demanded by Washington.
Trump said Americans should know within a matter of hours whether the latest diplomatic push succeeds, predicting the situation will move quickly “one way or the other.” After repeatedly delaying military action to allow negotiations to continue, the president is now presenting Tehran with what he says could be its final opportunity to choose a deal over a potentially devastating new American offensive.