
United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday accused Iran of delaying the negotiation process and warned that "now it will have to pay the consequences."
His statement came just hours after a fresh exchange of attacks, despite a ceasefire reached in April and talks brokered by Pakistan. The development underscores the ongoing tensions between the two countries, as diplomatic efforts to avoid escalation appear to be running into difficulties.
"Iran only talks and does not act. The Middle East bully is dead! They delayed too long to negotiate a deal that would have benefited them greatly, now they will have to pay the consequences!" the president said in a message posted on social media.
He also stressed that "the Iranian military is a complete disaster." "Most of it, like the navy and the air force, no longer exist; they have been completely defeated," he noted, without specifying whether this meant the United States would launch new attacks against the Asian country.
Trump's words come after US Central Command confirmed late Tuesday attacks with "precision munitions" against various points in Iran near the Strait of Hormuz, claiming it was an act of "self-defense" after a military helicopter crashed in the area, an incident described as a "crash" by Trump himself.
In response, Iran has claimed responsibility for a wave of drone and missile attacks against US bases in the region, after which Jordan and Bahrain confirmed intercepts in their airspace, while Kuwait activated its air defense systems, without providing further details on possible casualties or damage.
These new clashes occurred after Trump assured on Tuesday that talks with Iran for a peace deal to end the conflict in the Middle East are "in the final stages" and predicted that it could be finalized "within two or three days," following the exchange of attacks between Iranian and Israeli forces between Sunday and Monday.