US President Donald Trump has warned Iran of “very tough times” if Tehran refuses to reach a permanent peace agreement with Washington, as the financial cost of the conflict climbs and diplomatic efforts remain stalled.
Trump issued the warning in an interview with French television network BFMTV, casting doubt on whether backchannel negotiations would produce a breakthrough but making clear that Washington’s patience was running thin.
“I have no idea if they’re going to do it. If not, they’re going to have very tough times, very tough times. They’d better make a deal,” Trump said.
The remarks marked a sharper tone from the White House as intermediaries in Islamabad, Pakistan, continued efforts to advance a proposed 14-point memorandum of understanding. The draft deal reportedly asks Iran to ease its military control over the Strait of Hormuz and move its highly enriched uranium stockpile abroad in exchange for a 30-day reduction of the US naval blockade.
But Trump’s warning suggests Washington is preparing for the possibility that diplomacy may fail. The pressure has grown after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps threatened major missile attacks on American bases in the region following the US Navy’s interception of two Iranian oil tankers under blockade.
The urgency is also being shaped by the rising cost of the war. A senior Pentagon official told Congress that the US war in Iran has now cost about US$29 billion, up US$4 billion from the earlier US$25-billion estimate given late last month. Much of the cost was attributed to munitions, damaged aircraft, equipment repairs and ongoing operations.
The revised figure has intensified scrutiny in Washington over the sustainability of the campaign, particularly as the US maintains major naval and aerial deployments in and around the Persian Gulf.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington is pushing for a clear diplomatic outcome because American military resources are not unlimited and must be balanced against other security priorities.
At the same time, the Pentagon has reportedly kept escalation options ready should talks collapse. These include a possible resumption of the suspended US-Israeli air campaign, with carrier strike groups and combat aircraft already positioned in the region.
The proposed military options, according to the information circulating around the talks, include expanded strikes on Iranian military infrastructure, a high-risk operation targeting nuclear materials at the hardened Isfahan facility, and a possible move against Kharg Island, a key outlet for Iran’s oil exports. These plans have not been independently confirmed in full, but they reflect the growing concern that the conflict could rapidly widen if negotiations fail.
The risk is compounded by intelligence assessments indicating that Iran has restored many of its missile launch positions along the Strait of Hormuz and retained a significant portion of its ballistic missile inventory, despite earlier White House claims that Tehran’s military capabilities had been severely degraded.
Trump’s ultimatum now places Iran before a narrowing set of choices: accept a deal that would reduce pressure on its economy and military infrastructure, or face a renewed US-led campaign that could push the conflict into a more dangerous phase.
For Washington, the message is meant to force a diplomatic exit. For Tehran, it is a test of whether it can preserve leverage without inviting another round of devastating strikes.