‘They Cannot Have a Nuclear Weapon’: Trump Warns of Iran Nuclear Threat to US

Washington: US President Donald Trump on Monday warned that Iran could potentially use a nuclear weapon against the United States if Tehran were allowed to acquire one, insisting that Iran “will never” be permitted to obtain a nuclear bomb.

Trump made the remarks while arguing that the risks posed by a nuclear-armed Iran should not be underestimated. He said the consequences could extend beyond Israel and the Middle East and potentially threaten the United States itself. 

“If you want to see turmoil and a travesty, let them take out a city with a nuclear weapon… let them hit us with a nuclear weapon,” Trump said, according to Iran International.

The US president also criticised those who believe an Iranian nuclear weapon could be tolerated, describing such a position as “crazy.” He reiterated Washington's stance that Iran must not acquire a nuclear weapon, saying, “They cannot have a nuclear weapon, and they don't"

Trump's comments come as Washington and Tehran remain locked in a prolonged confrontation over Iran's nuclear programme and the wider conflict in the Middle East. At the same time, mediators have been conducting separate contacts with the United States and Iran in an effort to revive negotiations and end the conflict. 

Iran has consistently maintained that its nuclear programme is peaceful and has rejected demands that it surrender its nuclear capabilities. Meanwhile, Trump has continued to insist that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon is a central US objective.

The latest remarks come amid heightened tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions and efforts to find a diplomatic settlement to the ongoing conflict.