US President Donald Trump said Sunday there was a strong chance of reaching an agreement with Iran as soon as Monday, while also threatening to escalate attacks dramatically if Tehran fails to deliver quickly.
Speaking to Fox News, Trump said he was considering "blowing everything up" and "taking over the oil" if Iran does not move fast enough toward a deal.
He also said he had granted amnesty to Iranian negotiators to ensure talks could continue, though there was no immediate response from Tehran. Trump said previously that Washington was in contact with Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf.
Iran did not respond immediately to Trump's claim that an agreement may be near.
The remarks came on the same day Trump issued a stark warning on his social media platform Truth Social declaring that Tuesday would be "Power plant day, and bridge day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran"-referring to his threats to target Iran's infrastructure-adding: "There will be nothing like it!!!" He also told Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz "or you'll be living in hell — just watch!"
The region has been on alert since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes on Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf states hosting US forces, while restricting movement through the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which roughly 20 million barrels of oil passed daily, before the start of the war.
