The Blubber

On Sunday, former President Donald Trump threatened Iran with bombings and the reimposition of secondary tariffs if Tehran fails to reach a nuclear agreement with Washington.

In a phone interview with NBC News, Trump confirmed that U.S. and Iranian officials were in communication but offered few details.

“If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing,” Trump said. “But there’s a chance that if they don’t make a deal, that I will do secondary tariffs on them like I did four years ago.”

During his first term from 2017 to 2021, Trump withdrew the United States from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal — an international agreement that imposed strict limits on Iran’s nuclear activities in return for sanctions relief. Following the withdrawal, Trump reinstated sweeping U.S. sanctions.

Since then, Iran has significantly expanded its uranium enrichment efforts, surpassing the limits set under the original accord.

Tehran has thus far rejected Trump’s ultimatum to negotiate or face military consequences.

According to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, Iran responded through Oman to a letter from Trump urging Tehran to agree to a new nuclear deal, as reported by Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency on Thursday.

Western powers continue to accuse Iran of secretly seeking to develop nuclear weapons by enriching uranium beyond levels needed for a civilian energy program. Tehran maintains that its nuclear activities are solely for peaceful, civilian energy purposes.