Donald Trump suggested during a Saturday Halloween party at his Mar-a-Lago residence that US forces could strike one or two remaining Iranian nuclear sites within ten minutes, specifically naming the underground facility Pickaxe Mountain as a target. Trump claimed the US had already 'knocked out' Iran's nuclear capabilities but said some sites remained to be dealt with.
The remarks came amid reports of a telephone conversation between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday morning, as Washington assessed options for potentially resuming military operations against Iran. Despite the military warning, Trump indicated that Washington remained open to a negotiated settlement with Tehran, though he questioned Iran's reliability in the discussions, stating 'they make a deal and then they back out.'
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei warned that any threat from the United States or Israel would invite an immediate response, without geographical limitations. Iranian state media reported Khamenei made the remarks during a meeting with military chiefs.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking at the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Atlanta, stated that diplomatic engagement with Iran had continued, even as the administration considered its military options. Rubio said 'there are multiple talks; talks have actually never stopped' and declined to set a deadline for negotiations.
The developments reflect continued tension between diplomatic engagement and military preparedness in the US approach to Iran's nuclear program, with no announced decision yet to launch fresh attacks.
