World
Trump warns Iran leaders of economic ruin, says ‘make a deal’
The conflict has looked stalemated for months, with no sign either side was ready for concessions even as it has deepened a global energy crisis, cratered swathes of Iran's economy and spilled over
FULL ARTICLE · The Indian Express World
3 min readUpdated: Sep 21, 2026 12:46 PM IST
In a phone call with a Fox News reporter, Trump said Iran's leaders should make a deal, rot economically or be wiped out, the reporter said. (Photo: AI generated)
Iran and the United States traded fresh threats on Sunday, deepening a conflict that has already run for months with no sign of a breakthrough. President Donald Trump issued one of his clearest warnings yet, telling Tehran it faced only a handful of paths forward, while Iran’s military said it was ready to hit back hard against any new attack on the country. The exchange comes as the standoff continues to batter Iran’s economy, push up global energy prices, and fuel fresh flashpoints across the wider Middle East, Reuters reported.
Trump’s three options for Iran
Speaking to a Fox News reporter, Trump laid out the choices facing Tehran in blunt terms:
- Make a deal: Iran’s leaders reach an agreement with the US
- Face economic ruin: Iran is left to “rot economically” under continued pressure
- See leadership wiped out: the Iranian leadership faces a total military defeat
Alongside this warning, Trump also signalled he was open to diplomacy. He said he would be willing to meet Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who is expected in New York this week for the United Nations General Assembly. The offer suggests a possible opening for talks, even as Trump’s public rhetoric stays tough.
This is not the first time Trump has raised the prospect of major military action against Iran. He has made similar threats of escalation at several points during the conflict, which began with US and Israeli strikes on 28 February, but has yet to follow through on them.
Iran’s response
Iran’s military central command said any new attack would trigger sustained retaliation against US bases and interests in the region, and warned that Washington’s regional allies would also be treated as parties to the conflict. It added that it had information an attack was being prepared, though it did not explain the source of that information.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said Iran would need to keep fighting as well as negotiating, pushing back against its enemies while using diplomacy to hold onto any gains.
A conflict at a standstill
The conflict has looked stalemated for months, with neither side showing readiness for concessions. It has deepened a global energy crisis, hit large parts of Iran’s economy hard, and spilled over into fresh regional flashpoints, including missile and drone attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis on Riyadh over the weekend. Iran has also kept most shipping blocked in the Strait of Hormuz, while a US blockade on Iranian ports is stopping Tehran from selling its own oil.
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Despite the mounting economic damage on both sides, there is little sign of a return to the temporary ceasefire agreed in June, which collapsed in July over disputes on its terms. Iran said again on Sunday that it would not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until the terms of that June deal, as it understands them, are met.
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