Trump vows another 'strong' strike on Iran today, says Tehran is stalling nuclear deal

Oval Office ultimatum

President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday that the United States will carry out another 'strong' strike on Iran later that day. The announcement follows overnight American attacks on targets inside Iran, which the US military described as retaliation for Iran's downing of an American Apache helicopter on Monday. Trump said the two crew members survived what he called an 'incredible rescue operation.'

We hit them hard yesterday and we will hit them hard today. And we'll see what happens with the agreement. We are really close to a deal, but they are stringing us along, treating us like naive people, because they dealt with very stupid presidents.

The helicopter trigger

On Monday, Iran shot down a US Apache helicopter. Trump described it as 'a very expensive helicopter' but stressed that the two people on board were safe. The overnight Tuesday-to-Wednesday strikes were the direct American response. Iran then launched its own retaliatory attacks, using drones against US forces in Bahrain and firing missiles at American military facilities in Jordan. Kuwait also reported intercepting Iranian missiles.

A deal on the edge

Trump said he has been talking with Iran for months and that the agreement on the table is a good one. It would deny Iran the right to possess nuclear weapons. The president claimed the terms are fully negotiated, but accused Tehran of repeatedly asking for more time. He said Iran is pressing because the document is valuable. Earlier in the day, Trump stated that Iranian authorities had delayed too long in negotiating the deal and must now pay a price.

We have fully negotiated terms, but they push and push, until finally they say: okay, give them a few more days. They push because it's a valuable document.

Regional escalation

Fighting between the US and Israel on one side and Iran on the other began on 28 February. A ceasefire took effect on 8 April, but the conflict entered a new phase in June after Israeli strikes on targets in Lebanon triggered an Iranian response. The still-unsigned peace agreement continues to fuel tensions. Trump said that if no deal is reached, the United States will attack Iran 'very strongly,' adding that the helicopter incident gives Washington the right to do so.

Oil market reaction

Brent crude, the global benchmark, rose 3.1 percent to $94.31 per barrel on Wednesday, having earlier touched $94.36. The lowest price recorded during the session was $90.77. The rise in oil prices since the outbreak of the Middle East war on 28 February has pushed US inflation to 4.2 percent in May, its highest level since May 2023.