US will bomb Iran again if it resumes high-level uranium enrichment, Trump warns

US President Donald Trump said on Friday, June 27, that he believed Iran abandoned its nuclear ambitions after recent US and Israeli attacks on its nuclear infrastructure, but warned that he “absolutely” would be willing to bomb the country again if it resumed enriching uranium to a concerning level.

“Time will tell,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “But I don’t believe that they’re going to go back into nuclear anytime soon.”

Trump said such an outcome was unlikely, describing Iran as exhausted from the damage it had suffered and eager to speak with the United States. “Iran wants to meet,” Trump said.

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Trump downplays concerns

Trump fielded questions on Iran during a news conference — alongside Attorney General Pam Bondi and her deputy — to discuss a Supreme Court ruling on birthright citizenship.

Trump said it was “a little early” to specify what he might demand in an agreement from Iran to contain its future nuclear activities. But he said he would insist on inspections of Iran’s nuclear sites, conducted by either the International Atomic Energy Agency or “somebody that we respect,” possibly including “ourselves.”

Trump downplayed concerns from nuclear experts and European officials that Iran may have moved and hidden its stockpile of 400kg, or 880 pounds, of enriched uranium, which the IAEA has estimated as sufficient to make 10 bombs in less than a year if enriched only somewhat further.

“Nothing was moved from the site,” Trump said, apparently referring to Iran’s underground enrichment facility at Fordow, one of the three nuclear sites that the United States bombed Saturday.

Highly charged tirade

However, on late Friday night, Trump slammed Iran for declaring victory in its 12-day conflict with Israel.

“Why would the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’... say so blatantly and foolishly that he won the War with Israel, when he knows his statement is a lie?” Trump wrote to his millions of followers on Truth Social.

This comes after Khamanei said Iran "slapped America in the face" by launching an attack against a major US base in Qatar following the US bombing raids. Khamanei also said Iran would never surrender.

“His country was decimated, his three evil nuclear sites were obliterated, and I knew exactly where he was sheltered. I saved him from a very ugly and ignominious death," Trump added.

According to Trump, he intervened to prevent a final wave of Israeli airstrikes aimed directly at Tehran, describing it as a planned “big day” that could have resulted in “tremendous damage” and mass casualties.

He also revealed that in the latter days of the conflict, he was engaged in backchannel efforts to possibly remove sanctions on Iran, offering a potential economic reprieve — until Khamenei’s public remarks claiming victory.

The US President also expressed outrage over the tone of Iran’s post-conflict message, claiming that the Supreme Leader responded not with gratitude, but “anger, hatred, and disgust".

“Iran has to get back into the World Order flow, or things will only get worse for them,” Trump warned, painting a bleak picture of a "blown up country" with “no hope” and “death all around them".

Closing his post with an appeal for diplomacy, Trump invoked an old adage: “I wish the leadership of Iran would realise that you often get more with honey than you do with vineger. PEACE!!!”

Check out his full statement below:

With inputs from The New York Times

Trump slams Khamenei for victory speech, says he saved him from 'ugly death' Iran condemns Trump's 'disrespectful and unacceptable' comments on Khamenei Israel-Iran conflict: Khamenei rejects Trump's call for unconditional surrender