DONALD TRUMP HAS issued a stark warning to Iran, urging the country to negotiate a deal or face “even more brutal” attacks following Israel’s deadly airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

The strikes, which killed senior Iranian military leaders and nuclear scientists, have been condemned by Iran as a “declaration of war.”

Trump’s comments came amid mixed signals about the US stance. Just a day earlier, the US President had urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold off on an attack to allow room for diplomacy.

Yet, Israel launched its offensive anyway, prompting Trump to later call the operation “excellent” and hint that more attacks could follow.

“Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left… JUST DO IT, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform, emphasising that he had “gave Iran chance after chance.”

While stating that Israel possesses advanced US weaponry “and they know how to use it,” Trump also left the door open for renewed negotiations, suggesting Iran might still seek talks.

FROM PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP:

“I gave Iran chance after chance to make a deal…” pic.twitter.com/lsCQHkyT2f

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 13, 2025

In another Truth Social post, Trump said he had given Iran a 60-day deadline to strike a deal.

“They should have done it,” he wrote.

“Today is day 61. I told them what to do, but they just couldn’t get there. Now they have, perhaps, a second chance!”

US ‘not involved’

Despite Trump’s vocal support of the Israeli strikes, the US government moved quickly to distance itself from the military action.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the attack as a “unilateral” move by Israel and warned Iran not to retaliate against American embassies or military bases in the region.

“We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces,” Rubio said.

“Israel advised us that it believed this action was necessary for its self-defence.”

The cautious US response highlights a complicated dynamic, and the strikes have clearly exposed growing tension between Trump and Netanyahu.

While Trump reportedly urged Netanyahu to delay the attack to preserve ongoing nuclear negotiations, Israel apparently saw the timing as crucial, believing Iran’s regional capabilities had been sufficiently weakened.

Damage done by an explosion to a residential building in Tehran. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

The Israeli government insisted the strike was fully coordinated with Washington.

‘Disaster of Trump’s making’

Many opposition politicians in the US fear that the attack risks escalating into a broader conflict in the Middle East.

Democrat Senator Chris Murphy called it a “disaster of Trump and Netanyahu’s own making,” criticising the US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal for enabling Iran’s progress toward nuclear weapons capability.

My full statement:

Israel's attack on Iran, clearly intended to scuttle the Trump Administration's negotiations with Iran, risks a regional war that will likely be catastrophic for America and is further evidence of how little respect world powers - including our own allies -…

— Chris Murphy 🟧 (@ChrisMurphyCT) June 13, 2025

The Israeli operation this morning targeted roughly 100 sites, including nuclear facilities and military bases, killing several top Revolutionary Guard commanders and scientists.

Netanyahu vowed the campaign would continue “for as many days as it takes,” citing Iran’s nuclear program as an existential threat to Israel.

In response, Iran declared the strikes a “declaration of war” and promised “severe punishment,” raising fears of retaliatory attacks.

The volatile situation complicates the US administration’s efforts to negotiate a new nuclear agreement with Tehran. While nuclear talks were scheduled to continue, Iran has since backed out.

Additional reporting from AFP