U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a fresh warning to Iran, saying the Islamic Republic could cease to exist if it continues to violate a fragile ceasefire agreement with the United States.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said U.S. forces had carried out strikes on Iranian military targets after accusing Tehran of breaching the ceasefire.
“United States aircraft just struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations, and coastal radar sites, for violating the Cease Fire Agreement, AGAIN!” Trump wrote.
“It is very possible that they will never learn! There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started. If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!”
The latest remarks echo similar warnings Trump made earlier this year while urging Iran to return to negotiations over its nuclear programme. In April, he warned that Iran’s “whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” a statement that drew sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers, who accused him of using inflammatory rhetoric and raised concerns about the potential consequences of such remarks.
Trump’s latest statement came before Iran launched retaliatory strikes targeting Kuwait and Bahrain on Sunday, accusing the United States of violating the ceasefire agreement. No casualties were immediately reported.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned that any further U.S. military action would lead to the “complete halt of all diplomatic processes.”
The escalation follows a series of maritime incidents in the Gulf region. On Thursday, Iran struck a Singapore-flagged cargo vessel near the coast of Oman, damaging the ship’s bridge and starboard side. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said no injuries were reported among the crew.
On Saturday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced additional strikes on Iranian targets following an attack on the Panama-flagged oil tanker M/T Kiku near the Strait of Hormuz. According to CENTCOM, a one-way drone struck the vessel, which was carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil, while transiting the strategic waterway.
Amid the growing tensions, Iran reaffirmed its control over the Strait of Hormuz, stating that vessels would continue to transit safely provided they coordinated with Iranian authorities. Tehran also said a recently signed 14-point memorandum of understanding with the United States was intended to extend a 60-day pause in hostilities to allow negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme and restore unrestricted navigation through the strait.
However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that external interference would only increase tensions and delay efforts to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“Interference in this matter will only lead to further complications, delay the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and increase the level of tension,” Araghchi said.
The latest developments have raised fresh concerns over regional stability as diplomatic efforts to sustain the ceasefire face increasing pressure from renewed military exchanges.