President Donald Trump criticized Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamanei, and declared he would not lift sanctions on Iran while also expressing willingness to consider further military action if Iran pursues uranium enrichment to alarming levels. Trump’s remarks came in response to Khamanei’s defiant comments following recent conflicts with Israel, which culminated in U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Despite sparing Khamanei’s life and boasting about the destruction of Iranian nuclear sites, Trump abandoned plans to ease sanctions after Khamanei’s provocative statements. The President did not rule out the possibility of future military strikes on Iran and expressed support for inspections of bombed nuclear sites by international agencies. Trump also questioned Iran’s intentions regarding nuclear weapons and hinted at willingness to engage in diplomacy. Efforts to arrange a meeting between U.S. and Iranian officials have not yet materialized.
