US President Donald Trump has warned Iran of “serious consequences” if Tehran refuses to change course, as Washington weighs its next move in the conflict and Iran threatens retaliation against any fresh US attack. At th…

US President Donald Trump has warned Iran of “serious consequences” if Tehran refuses to change course, as Washington weighs its next move in the conflict and Iran threatens retaliation against any fresh US attack. At the same time, both sides have left the door open to diplomacy, with Trump saying he would “probably be open” to talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.Speaking to Fox News, Trump said that the situation is at a critical point, indicating that he was weighing military, economic, and diplomatic options. “My question is, if and when do I blow the entire nation up? They had better behave,” POTUS said. Trump reiterated the US could potentially destroy Iran, allow its economy to collapse, or pursue a diplomatic settlement. He also hinted that major developments could be imminent, saying “very big things are going to be happening in the not-so-distant future”.His comments came as reports suggested that the US and its regional allies were preparing to resume operations against Iran. Tehran, meanwhile, has warned that any American attack would trigger retaliation.Iran’s central command said any US assault would be met with retaliation “without any limitations or considerations”.Iranian Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tehran did not see military action and negotiations as mutually exclusive. He argued that Iran needed to be prepared for both options.“We believe that the duality of war or negotiation is not real, but that we must both fight and negotiate. We must fight sensibly and decisively and negotiate with authority and rationality at the right time,” Ghalibaf told the Iranian Parliament.Ghalibaf said Iran’s position on diplomacy was already clear and that its conditions had been communicated to the other side through mediators.Only way to counter ‘bully’ is to resist him forcefully: Congress after Trump signs Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act He described Iran’s diplomatic stance as “completely clear, rational, and non-negotiable,” and said Tehran’s conditions had already been passed on to the other side via mediators.He also warned against what he described as attempts to deceive or impose terms on Iran.“The enemy knows very well that the path of deception and unilateral imposition is closed,” Ghalibaf said.Iran had conveyed seven conditions for a possible truce to the US through Qatari mediators on Saturday. Tehran warned that it could close the Strait of Hormuz and pursue a “decisive war” if Washington rejected its demands.The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial global energy route, and any disruption there could have wider implications for international trade and energy supplies.Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s supreme national security council, said Tehran was waiting for a response from Trump, according to Al Jazeera report.Despite his warning of possible military and economic action, Trump has also indicated that diplomacy remains an option.With the UN General Assembly’s high-level week beginning on Monday, Trump said he would “probably be open” to talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Source: Deccan Herald