President Donald Trump is weighing whether to pursue an agreement with Iran or resume military action, as tensions rise across the Middle East and Brent crude oil remains close to $115 a barrel.
Speaking to Fox News, Mr Trump said: “I have a decision to make: Do I finish it off, which would be very easy to do, or do I make a deal? That’s all.”
He has also suggested that the US could launch another operation against Iran after next Tuesday’s midterm elections, referring to a possible “another little Epic Fury” following the joint US-Israeli military campaign that began on February 28.
Mr Trump said the US now controlled the Strait of Hormuz and criticised the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, from which he withdrew during his first term. Additional American forces, including a third aircraft carrier group, have been sent to the region, although US diplomatic staffing has been reduced.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said any renewed conflict with Israel and the United States would not alter Tehran’s position.
“Recently, there has been talk of a new war, but I am already thinking about the post-war period. Whether there is war or not, our policies remain the same,” Mr Araghchi said during a televised event in Tehran.
Iranian officials have said the door to diplomacy remains open, with messages still being passed to Washington through intermediaries, although direct negotiations have appeared to stall in recent weeks.
In an effort to ease regional tensions, senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan are due to meet Iranian representatives in Tehran on Monday. The delegation is expected to include Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan’s army chief General Asim Munir and Turkey’s intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin.
Saudi officials said the meeting was intended to support de-escalation, dialogue and diplomatic solutions, alongside mediation efforts by Qatar and Pakistan.
The talks come as oil markets respond to fears over global supplies. Brent crude rose sharply at the end of last week amid concerns linked to the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, with the northern hemisphere approaching the winter period when demand for gas increases.
There have also been conflicting claims over an attack involving Riyadh airport. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group said it had targeted the airport with a ballistic missile and struck oil pumping stations with drones, while the Saudi-led coalition said its air defences had intercepted and destroyed a missile fired towards the Saudi capital.
The airport had reopened only hours earlier after deadly Houthi strikes forced it to suspend operations for more than two weeks.
Separately, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that Iran and its proxies could attempt attacks to disrupt Tuesday’s Israeli elections. “Don’t test us. You will suffer disproportionate blows,” he said, adding that the Israeli military was prepared for defensive and offensive action.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the election result would make “no difference” to Tehran, regardless of who became Israel’s leader.
