Donald Trump, the president of the United States, once again threatened Iran’s regime and said:
“They can try, but it’s going to take them a long time to come back. 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.”
During a meeting with reporters at the White House on Thursday evening, December 11 2025, Trump described the attack on the Iranian regime’s nuclear facilities as a foundation for peace. He said this attack resulted in the most complete destruction of Iran’s nuclear capacity, which made peace possible because previously everyone feared Iran, and now they do not.
Iran’s Regime Is Clearing One of Its Nuclear Facilities, Study Shows
Referring to the heavy damage suffered by Iran, Trump said: “They can probably never start there again. If they ever started, they’d probably choose a new site.”
Hours before Trump’s remarks, Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran’s regime, in a meeting with a group of state-aligned eulogists, referred to repeated comments about “the renewed occurrence of military conflict in Iran” and described them as “a deliberate act to create concern and doubt among citizens.”
He also added that the United States stands at the center of this wide and active front, with some European countries surrounding it.
Renewed threat against Iran’s regime
The U.S. president directly threatened Iran’s regime, saying Washington is able to disable Iran’s missiles very quickly.
Referring to the ongoing regional war, Trump described all wars as brutal and destructive and called the battle over Iran’s nuclear capabilities a turning point in regional developments, saying: “This attack was the most complete destruction of Iran’s nuclear capabilities. This war was a devastating blow… The blow they received was so severe that I don’t think they’ll want to try again.”
Trump again emphasized that “no other country” was capable of carrying out such an attack and described the United States as having “the best weapons and the best military in the world.” He added:
“If Iran had not been so effectively disabled, none of our allies in the region would have been able to reach the agreements we have now.”
Praising the leaders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, he said Iran “is no longer the country it once was” and that its standing “has dramatically declined,” although he warned that Tehran may attempt to revive its nuclear program in the future: “They can try, but it will take a long time to get back to where they were.”
Iran’s regime’s desire for a deal with the U.S.
In another part of his remarks, Trump claimed that Iran’s regime is now willing to negotiate with his administration and said:
“They very much want to make a deal with me. And I also want to make a deal with them if possible. Before the bombing, we were reasonably close to making a deal.”
Trump described the twelve-day war as a “missed opportunity” for Iran’s regime and added: “They could have made a deal where there were no casualties or buildings destroyed. We would have targeted their nuclear facilities and that would have been the end of it. They could have made a great deal, but they missed that opportunity. And now they want to make another one.”
Over the past six months, the war of words between Trump and Iran’s regime has continued, with Trump repeatedly threatening to strike Iran’s nuclear and missile facilities again.
On October 20, during a joint press conference with the prime minister of Australia, Trump described the airstrike on Iran’s nuclear facilities as one of the largest military operations in history. He said war is a strange thing: bad things may happen, but sometimes it produces good outcomes.
That same day, Iran’s regime supreme leader dismissed Trump’s comments about “bombing Iran’s nuclear industry and wiping it out” as mere “fantasy.”
Another major point of contention between Khamenei and Trump has been negotiations with the United States. Trump consistently claims Iran wants to resume talks, while Khamenei rejects any form of negotiation with the U.S.
On November 14, before departing for Florida for the weekend, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that Iran, like many others seeking talks with the U.S., wants to negotiate a deal.
Earlier, during a November 6 meeting with Central Asian leaders, Trump had said Iran’s regime asked the White House whether sanctions could be lifted. He stressed that he is willing to listen to such requests and that lifting sanctions is possible.
On November 17, one day before Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s trip to the United States, a letter from Masoud Pezeshkian, the president of Iran’s regime, was sent to Saudi Arabia. The Saudi state news agency reported that the letter had reached bin Salman but did not disclose its contents.
Later, Reuters, quoting several informed sources, wrote that Tehran had asked Riyadh to persuade Trump to revive nuclear negotiations.
