Iranupdated 1h ago2 min read
Archive photo · 2 June 2025Trump Weighs Iran Deal Or “Finish Them Off,” Araghchi Says War Won’t Change Iran Policy
9 West Asian3 Other1 Israeli1 Western MainstreamPhoto: Daniel Torok, Public domain · Cropped for layout
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Trump weighs deal with Iran or further attack, suggesting 'finish them off' option. Iran's Araghchi says war would not change Iran policy; mediators in Tehran amid tensions.
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Trump weighs options
U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday he was weighing whether to reach an agreement with Iran or take further action to "finish them off," in an interview with Fox News.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that a potential resumption of war with Israel and the U.S. would not change his country's positions, after Trump said Washington "may do another little Epic Fury."
Iran warned on Saturday that U.S. ships would never be allowed in the Persian Gulf "under any circumstances," as tensions between Tehran and Washington continued mounting.
Jay Clayton, Director of National Intelligence, said Iran has "substantially increased efforts to target U.S. personnel" abroad, with plots to kill Americans reaching "advanced stages" in the Middle East and other countries.
Qatari mediators were in Tehran on Sunday as part of a U.S.-coordinated effort to reduce regional tensions, an official briefed on the matter told Reuters.
Iran rejects foreign troops
Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said any attack on Iran's territorial integrity would draw what he described as an unimaginable response.
Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that U.S. bases have become the main source of insecurity for their host countries, and the region should move toward having no foreign troops.
Iran's army said on Sunday that its air defense systems shot down a U.S. LUCAS drone over the southern port city of Bandar Abbas.
Trump also claimed Washington had control over the Strait of Hormuz, saying "We now control the Hormuz Strait" and "We get everything, they get nothing."
Trump said, when asked whether U.S. strikes could resume as soon as today as he departed the White House for Michigan, "The answer is no, there will be not be a strike today," according to Al Jazeera.
Economic strain and elections
Iranians braced for a possible return to all-out war with the U.S. and Israel as leaders of both countries wage mounting threats in the days leading up to their respective elections. Fereshteh Hajipour, 35, said she was stockpiling over-the-counter medicines and food for fear of a "possible war and bigger bombs." CBS/AP reported that a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports restricted oil exports on which Iran's government depends, increasing economic pain as each side tries to outlast the other.
Mohammad Mohammadi, 36, said a trip to the supermarket can burn through half a monthly mid-range salary of 400 million rials, which roughly equates to $150. Netanyahu warned in a video released by his office on Sunday that "our enemies, Iran and its proxies, could challenge us with attacks in order to disrupt the elections," and said the military was ready for both defensive and offensive operations.