Iran will be ‘totally wiped out as a country’ if it retaliates for US strikes, Trump says

Donald Trump issued an unusually stark warning to Iran on Tuesday, saying the country would be “totally wiped out as a country” if it retaliated against renewed U.S. strikes.

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If they do respond, they’ll be hit much harder. This is a very big hit today. If it goes a third time, they’re going to be totally wiped out as a country.

Speaking by phone with Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst, the U.S. president said any Iranian response would bring a much stronger attack. “If they do respond, they’ll be hit much harder,” Trump said. “This is a very big hit today. If it goes a third time, they’re going to be totally wiped out as a country.”

The strikes represented the second instance of U.S. military action against Iran after a week-long pause in hostilities. Trump also rejected the prospect of further peace-making efforts with Tehran, saying he had already given Iran many opportunities.

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I gave them a lot of chances.

“I gave them a lot of chances,” Trump said, adding that he believed “an agreement with them isn't worth the paper it's written on.” The situation remained under development.

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An agreement with them isn't worth the paper it's written on.