US President Donald Trump on Thursday issued a fresh warning to Iran, saying American forces would remain deployed and ready despite the ongoing ceasefire, and threatening a stronger military response if the agreement is not honoured.In a post on Truth Social, Trump said US military assets would stay “in place in, and around, Iran” until a “REAL AGREEMENT” is fully implemented. He added that any violation would trigger escalation, warning: “If for any reason it is not… then the ‘Shootin’ Starts,’ bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before.”
The remarks come amid a fragile two-week ceasefire between Washington and Tehran, reached after over a month into war in the Middle East amid tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme and restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil route. Also read | US-Iran ceasefire: Was Israel kept out of talks till the end?Trump reiterated key US demands, stating: “NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS and, the Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN & SAFE.” Signalling continued military preparedness, he said, “our great Military is Loading Up and Resting,” even as diplomatic efforts continue to stabilise the situation.While both sides have claimed to step back from immediate escalation, uncertainty remains over the durability of the truce, with differences persisting over the terms of a longer-term agreement.
