President Donald Trump said Monday he is ready to unleash “very strong military action” against Iran if ongoing negotiations do not produce results quickly.

“We are in very deep talks with Iran: If they don’t work out, we will go back to very strong military action,” Trump told Axios. When asked how much time he would give the talks, the President replied bluntly: “Not much time. Either it goes fast or not at all.” 

Trump revealed that mediating countries had urged him to pause strikes for three nights. “All of the people that deal with Iran asked me: ‘Don’t fire,’” he said, adding that he believes Tehran genuinely wants a deal. He described the pause as “nothing gained, nothing lost,” noting that oil prices dropped and stocks rose during the lull in attacks.

The comments come as Trump prepares to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday. Discussions are expected to focus on reopening the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping and restarting serious negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.

The Trump administration has conducted repeated precision strikes on Iranian military targets while maintaining a blockade to protect commercial vessels. The President has made clear that freedom of navigation in the critical waterway — through which a significant portion of global oil flows — will not be compromised, and that Iran will never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.

Trump’s approach combines maximum pressure with the offer of a diplomatic off-ramp. However, his warning is unmistakable: Iran’s window to reach a meaningful agreement is closing rapidly. Continued aggression or stalling tactics will be met with decisive force.

The ball is now in Tehran’s court. The regime must choose between de-escalation and facing the full weight of American military power. History shows the mullahs only respond when the consequences of their actions become too costly to bear.