Trump warns US may have to 'destroy the rest' of Iran if needed
Trump said Iran would need 25 years to rebuild and that he would decide on going further after the unsettled war.
US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he may have to destroy the rest of Iran, Turkey's state-run news agency Anadolu Agency reported.
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that Washington now faces a decision on whether to go further, with the aim of ensuring Iran's nuclear threat never returns.
"I would rather not destroy the rest of the country, if possible," Trump said, adding, "but maybe I'll have to."
He warned that the public would soon see his next step, saying, "You'll know soon enough."
Trump said he thinks it will take Iran 25 years to rebuild after the US-Israeli war on the country, which began in February and has yet to be settled.
Asked about reports that Iran had sent a proposal to the US through mediators on the future of its nuclear program, and whether Washington was involved, Trump said, "They're not doing anything without our approval."
Iran's nuclear program has been a central point of dispute between Tehran and Washington for many years, and past diplomatic efforts have often relied on intermediaries to carry proposals between the two sides.
Trump's comments were made while the conflict remains unresolved, leaving open what steps the US may take next.
