In brief
Xinhua reports that U.S. President Donald Trump has again threatened to resume strikes on Iran and that Iranian forces warn of a broader conflict if the U.S. flares up. TASS pieces echo Trump’s statements from a 2014 rally in Iowa, noting his desire to “give them the hammer” if negotiations fail. The Iranian army spokesman says all U.S. assets could be targeted worldwide and that a new conflict could last longer than previous ones.
Xinhua reported on Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump has once again threatened to resume strikes against Iran "at some point," while the Iranian Army warned that any renewed conflict could be longer and more extensive than past confrontations.
Xinhua quoted Trump speaking at a rally in Iowa ahead of the Nov. 3 U.S. midterm elections: “The only reason we are not finished with Iran is because I want to be nice. I want to try and save all those lives if I can,” he told supporters. “At some point, we’re going to have to give them the hammer.”
Iranian Military Response
Iranian Army spokesperson Mohammad Akraminia warned that the U.S. would be met with an “immediate, decisive response on a larger scale than before,” extending beyond West Asia. He added, “U.S. facilities, equipment, personnel, and interests could be targeted wherever they are within reach.” A potential new conflict could “last considerably longer” than the previous one.
Mojtaba Khamenei meanwhile instructed senior military commanders that any threat from the “enemies,” regardless of its nature or scale, would be met with an “immediate and effective” response without geographical limits.
U.S. Administration Statements
TASS reported that Trump has said at a 2014 Iowa rally that the United States may take further action against Iran if no agreement is reached. Trump stated: “The only reason why I’m not finished with Iran is I want to be nice. I want to try and save all those lives if I can,” and added, “But at some point, we’re going to have to give them the hammer.” He added that the U.S. would “put it away very soon, one way or the other. Either they’ll make a deal or we’ll just end it, end it the, I guess you could say, maybe the easy way.”
TASS also reported that Trump had a phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, in which Netanyahu pressed Trump to strike Iran immediately after the midterm elections. Trump, according to the report, preferred to let negotiations play out, a strategy that made Netanyahu uneasy. TASS credited an Israeli source with saying the conversation was “tough” and a U.S. official described it as “direct.”
Both TASS pieces noted that, according to Axios, Netanyahu was urging an immediate strike, while Trump intended to postpone any military action after the elections. The same TASS article said a Republican defeat could prompt Trump to resume large‑scale operations against Iran the day after the midterms.
These statements suggest a complex diplomatic standoff in which the U.S. signals possible military escalation, the Iranian military warns of broader retaliation, and diplomatic channels are still being negotiated—raising concerns about a potential conflict that could extend beyond West Asia and last longer than previous skirmishes.
