'They won't exist any longer': Trump delivers blunt Iran ultimatum

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump warned Iran it “won’t exist any longer” unless Tehran signs a “very fair deal,” as officials said Washington had sent a new response.

Iranian officials said the response followed Tehran’s latest proposal to end the seven-month war, but did not say what it contained.

Trump made the warning on Thursday, October 1, before leaving the White House for a midterm rally in Durant, Oklahoma.

Trump ties Iran deal to threat of continued conflict

“I have to make a decision,” Trump told reporters. “They’ll either sign a very fair deal, or they won’t exist any longer.”

His warning came after Iranian officials said Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi presented the US response to President Masoud Pezeshkian at a Cabinet meeting, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani told the state-run IRNA news agency.

“We will make every effort to bring the agreement to fruition and will firmly stand up for the rights of the Iranian people,” Pezeshkian said.

“The agreement must now be based on a win-win strategy,” he added.

Iran had proposed reopening the Strait of Hormuz within a week if the US lifted its blockade of Iranian ports, released frozen Iranian assets and waived sanctions on Iranian oil sales, among other conditions.

Trump had rejected that proposal publicly, saying Iran wanted a deal because it was “losing so badly” and that the offer “would not be acceptable.”

Iran says US response followed New York talks

Araghchi returned to Iran after traveling to New York for the UN General Assembly, where Iranian officials held indirect talks with US officials and met Qatari and Pakistani mediators.

Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said Araghchi also briefed the Cabinet on Iran’s conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which had been conveyed through mediators.

President Trump denies offering Iran sanctions relief

Trump said Iran’s proxies would follow Tehran and claimed the US had “totally” controlled the situation.

Trump also addressed Iran’s economy and military during Thursday’s remarks, claiming Iran had “301 percent inflation,” that its currency was “valueless” and that its economy was gone.

He also said oil prices would fall “very, very soon” as the conflict with Iran neared an end.

He said the US had taken more oil from the Strait of Hormuz in the previous two days than “at any time in the history of the Straits,” including before the war.

“The difference is Iran will not have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said, while arguing that Iran would have had one under former President Joe Biden.

Trump separately denied an Axios report that he had offered Tehran sanctions relief and the release of frozen Iranian funds in exchange for “concrete steps” on its nuclear program.

“This is untrue. I offered them NOTHING!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, calling the report a “HOAX.”

The Trump administration also announced new Treasury sanctions on Tuesday against 10 people and entities in Iran, Hong Kong and Pakistan over alleged efforts to procure weapons and components for Iran’s defense ministry.