"If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing like they’ve never seen before."

President Donald Trump has escalated his warnings to Iran, saying that failure to reach a new nuclear agreement could lead to a bombing campaign of unprecedented scale.

In an interview with NBC News over the weekend, Trump was blunt: “If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing — bombing the likes of which they have never seen before.” His remarks follow a series of increasingly direct threats from Trump and his inner circle, aimed at forcing Tehran back into negotiations. Earlier this month, Trump sent a formal letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader, following a two-month deadline to reach a new agreement. While Iran delayed acknowledging the message, American military movements indicate that the White House is preparing to back its words with force.

Multiple B-2 stealth bombers — capable of delivering massive bunker-busting payloads — have recently arrived at Diego Garcia, a U.S. military base in the Indian Ocean. A senior U.S. official told reporters the deployment is “not unrelated” to the deadline Trump has imposed.

Military analysts note that any aerial campaign targeting Iran’s nuclear program would face enormous challenges. Iran has invested heavily in underground facilities — including entire “missile cities” designed to survive sustained bombing efforts. A single round of strikes would likely not be sufficient to dismantle Iran’s missile and nuclear infrastructure.

Despite the escalating rhetoric, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Sunday that diplomatic pathways remain open — but only under specific conditions.

“Iran has not closed the door to indirect talks,” Pezeshkian said, emphasizing that Iran is open to negotiation but continues to blame U.S. behavior for past failures. “The behavior of the Americans will determine whether talks move forward.”

Iran’s skepticism is rooted in Trump’s withdrawal from the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal, a move that still casts a shadow over Washington’s credibility in Tehran. While direct talks appear unlikely, backchannel diplomacy remains possible.

Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports that Iran now holds a stockpile of uranium enriched up to 60% — a short technical step away from weapons-grade. Experts estimate that if fully enriched, this material could yield six nuclear warheads.

In response, Trump has revived elements of his “maximum pressure” strategy — including the threat of using U.S. naval forces to disrupt Iran’s oil exports. Reports also suggest that secondary sanctions targeting foreign buyers of Iranian crude are on the table.

In a separate February interview, Trump framed the issue in stark terms: “They have two choices — make a deal, or get bombed.” He also alluded to possible Israeli involvement: “Everyone assumes Israel will strike with or without our approval.”