US President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) issued a fresh warning to Iran, saying Washington could take further action against the country while signalling that he would prefer to avoid additional destruction. He also asserted that Tehran could not move ahead with its nuclear programme without US approval.“I would rather not destroy the rest of the country if possible, but maybe I’ll have to. You will know soon enough,” Trump told reporters at the Oval Office.Additionally, on Iran’s nuclear programme, he said, “They’re not doing anything without our approval.”This comes as Trump faces renewed scrutiny over the eight-month-old Iran war following the Republicans’ losses in the US midterm elections, with voter dissatisfaction over the conflict and rising fuel prices emerging as factors in the Democratic gains. Trump had earlier threatened to resume large-scale strikes against Iran after the elections if Tehran failed to agree to a settlement on terms acceptable to Washington.
