‘They will not exist any longer’: Trump warns Iran over threats to US officials

US President Donald Trump has issued a fresh warning to Iran, saying those responsible would "not exist any longer" if Tehran killed an American official. He also said he would not hesitate to launch further military action if the situation took an unfavourable turn.

In a phone interview with Salem News Channel on Thursday (local time), Trump was asked how Washington would respond if Iran killed a US official, such as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

"They will not exist any longer," Trump replied, delivering a stern warning to Tehran.

The remarks came after Bessent reportedly moved from his residence in Washington, DC, to a US military base earlier this week following alleged threats to his life from Iran.

Trump Says Iran Regime Remaining In Power Would Be A Defeat

Trump also said he would consider it a failure if Iran's current leadership remained in power by the time he left office.

Asked whether it would amount to a defeat if the "Iran crazies" were still ruling the country at the end of his presidency, Trump responded, "Yes, that would be a defeat."

"Yep, I would say that would be a defeat. Absolutely," he added.

Trump Rules Out Hesitation Over Further Military Action

Addressing the possibility of further US military action, Trump said he had no hesitation about using force to stop Iran from threatening American allies and maritime interests.

Asked whether he would hesitate to use military force to prevent Iran from "terrorising our allies and our ships", he replied, "No hesitation."

The US President also claimed that Washington was making progress in its operations against Iran and was extracting more oil than it had before the conflict began.

"We're doing very well with it right now, we're taking out more oil now than we did before the, if you call it a war, before the war started. We're taking out more oil. And think about the war. We've been fighting at a pretty rapid clip for three weeks, not seven months, for three weeks. Nobody's been killed in the last five months," Trump said.

He further claimed that the United States had complete control over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most strategically important waterways.

"We control the Gulf in terms of the Hormuz Strait. We control it. Totally control it," he said.

Signalling that Washington could step up its military response depending on how the situation develops, Trump added, "But the answer is, if I saw things going the other way, I would do that, and it's possible I would do it right now."

Trump also claimed that Iran's leadership was losing its grip on power, declaring, "The regime is collapsing."

His remarks underline Washington's hardline stance towards Tehran, with the US President warning of further military action over threats to American officials, regional allies and maritime interests.

(With ANI inputs)