Trump Warns He May Have to ‘Destroy the Rest of Iran’: ‘You’ll Know Soon Enough’

US President Donald Trump has warned that the United States may have to “destroy the rest of Iran”, raising the prospect of renewed major military action even as Qatari mediators shuttle nuclear proposals between Washington and Tehran.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump was asked about his next move on Iran. “I would rather not destroy the rest of the country if possible, but maybe I’ll have to. You’ll know soon enough,” he said.

FAKTA

• What happened: Trump warned the US may have to “destroy the rest of Iran”, adding: “You’ll know soon enough.”
• When: Thursday, 5 November 2026, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office.
• The talks: Iran is reviewing US-backed proposals on its nuclear programme, with Qatari officials mediating. At least three meetings on “concrete proposals” have taken place in the past week.
• The shift: On Monday, Trump had ruled out attacking Iran after the midterm elections.
• The background: The war began in late February 2026. Trump has repeatedly said Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon.

Trump Warns US May Destroy the Rest of Iran

Trump defended the military campaign so far, claiming the United States had established control over strategic areas and that its blockade of Iran had succeeded “tremendously”. He said the administration would soon decide whether to expand military operations to ensure Iran could not rebuild its military capabilities, and claimed Iran could take 25 to 30 years to rebuild.

Trump also acknowledged that 18 US service members had lost their lives in the Iran conflict. He has repeatedly pointed to Pickaxe Mountain, a heavily fortified facility near the Natanz nuclear site, as a possible target, and has demanded that Iran dispose of what he called “nuclear dust” remaining in its stockpiles.

The president also defended Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, saying he had “done a fantastic job”, as Hegseth faces growing pressure in Congress over the handling of the conflict. Republican Congressman Thomas Massie said on 4 November that he would not revive impeachment proceedings against Hegseth if the secretary resigned.

Talks Through Qatari Mediators

Iran is reviewing US-backed proposals on the fate of its nuclear programme, with Qatari officials mediating fresh discussions. At least three meetings on “concrete proposals” have taken place in the past week, in Tehran and Doha, the New York Times first reported. Reuters reported later on Thursday that Iran had returned a copy of one nuclear proposal to the United States through Qatari mediators.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said last Sunday that progress was being made in the peace talks. A possible new agreement would build on a memorandum of understanding signed by Trump and Vice President JD Vance in June, which collapsed over disagreements on shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz.

Vance wrote to the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, in late October, with Trump’s blessing, in an effort to resume talks. On Monday, Vance said he and Trump “feel pretty good about the prospects for potentially coming to a negotiated settlement”.

A Shift From Monday’s Assurance

Thursday’s warning marked a sharp change of tone from Monday, when Trump ruled out attacking Iran after the midterm elections and played down the prospect of renewed strikes. US Central Command has not telegraphed any immediate signs of a return to full-scale attacks, and no timetable for a decision has been announced.

The warning also comes days after the Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in the 3 November midterm elections. Vance blamed the war for the Republican losses, and Trump called that assessment “largely true”, while saying he would make the same decision again because Iran must not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.

What Happens Next

Attention now turns to whether the talks mediated by Qatar produce an agreement, or whether Washington moves to expand military operations. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned of a wider war if the United States resumes attacks, and the coming days are expected to show whether diplomacy or escalation follows.

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