Amid escalating tensions, U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning, stating that "very bad times" lie ahead for Iran if a peace deal is not reached soon.

He made the remarks during a recent telephone interview with the French media outlet BFMTV.

"It would be best for Iran to reach a deal," Trump said. "If they don't, they are going to have a very bad time." He added that both Washington and Tehran have their own interests in achieving a breakthrough.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that Tehran has received messages from the Trump administration indicating interest in new talks. However, he cautioned that "distrust" remains regarding Washington's true intentions.

According to analysts, if the Strait of Hormuz is reopened, Trump will be able to declare himself a victor on the international stage. Concurrently, it would allow him to convince skeptical American voters that the costly and lethal US military campaign in Iran was ultimately a success.

Notably, the United States had previously launched military strikes against Iran on two occasions while discussions regarding the country's nuclear program were still ongoing.
Source: Al Jazeera