Trump signals quick strike if Iran continues missile buildup

US President Donald Trump said the United States could strike Iran again if the country’s leadership refuses to reach a deal with Washington and continues its missile program.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump repeated his view that peace in the Middle East would not have been possible without US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

According to Trump, Iran “can try” to continue developing its nuclear program. “But if they do want to come back and they want to come back without a deal, then we're going to obliterate that one, too. You know, we can knock out their missiles very quickly,” the US president said.

Trump’s comments were made only hours after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei rejected speculation about a potential new war against Iran, describing such claims as “enemy propaganda”.

“Today, beyond these military confrontations — which have existed, as you have seen, and whose likelihood is constantly being talked up, with some even deliberately fanning the flames to create anxiety, though they will not succeed, God willing — we are facing a propaganda and media confrontation,” Khamenei noted, emphasising that the real battle is informational.

He added that Iran is confronted with a broad front in a propaganda war and is engaged in a spiritual struggle, noting that the enemy has understood that taking this land, this soil, and its divine and spiritual character cannot be achieved through pressure or military means.

On the night of June 13, Israel launched a military operation against Iran. Less than a day later, the Islamic Republic carried out a retaliatory strike.

The United States entered the conflict nine days after its escalation, hitting Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.

On the evening of June 23, Iran attacked Al Udeid, the largest US airbase in the Middle East, located in Qatar.

Shortly after, President Trump announced that Israel and Iran had agreed to a ceasefire, which took effect on June 24.

By Jeyhun Aghazada