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US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the US would expand military operations against Iran and continue to hit the country "very hard" until Tehran returns to the negotiating table. He accused Iranian authorities of repeatedly violating agreements reached.
"We're going to hit them very hard tonight. We're going to hit them very hard tomorrow night. We're going to hit them very hard the next night," Trump said in an interview with Fox News.
According to Trump, US Central Command (CENTCOM) has carried out a series of strikes near the Strait of Hormuz in recent days and the operations will continue until he determines that the objectives have been met.
"Next week the situation will be very difficult for them. The power plants will be hit. The bridges will be hit. We will destroy all their power plants and all their bridges, if they do not sit at the negotiating table ," the president warned.
Trump made the comments after abandoning a plan to impose a 20% tariff on all ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Instead, he said Middle Eastern countries were committed to "massive" investment and trade deals with the United States.
"I wanted to put a tariff, but they preferred to invest a lot of money in the United States. Honestly, that's better, because I don't like the idea of tariffs ," he said in the interview broadcast on the Special Report show.
The US president also added that the US has reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz area.
Trump said that US representatives have recently held contacts with Iranian negotiators, but expressed disappointment at what he described as Tehran's tendency not to respect the agreements.
"They want to make a deal. But every time they reach an agreement, they break it," he said.
The president warned that Iran would face severe consequences if it refused to negotiate.
"They better make a deal. They'll have nothing left. We're taking maximum care of the civilian population, but I've told them: you better make a deal, otherwise you'll have nothing left ," Trump declared.
He also said that US military objectives in Iran, including ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, have been achieved, even though maritime traffic in this strategic corridor had declined significantly.
"I think the objectives have been met. If we were to withdraw now, it would take them about 20 years to rebuild what they have lost," he said.
At the end of the interview, Trump praised what he called "tremendous progress" in weakening Iran's military capabilities, while acknowledging, however, that the country still maintains a certain level of combat capability.
"They have weakened significantly. They have fought hard. It's like a great boxer: you think you've beaten him, but he gets up and hits you again. They still have some strength left to fight, but not much," the president concluded.
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