WASHINGTON, Wednesday, June 18, 2025 (WNP): U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday refused to rule out direct American military involvement in the rapidly intensifying conflict between Israel and Iran, but stopped short of revealing his next course of action, saying only that “nobody knows what I’m going to do.”

Speaking at the White House in his first on-camera remarks since cutting short his participation in the G7 summit in Canada, Trump claimed Iran had reached out to him and remained interested in a deal, despite heightened tensions.

“I may do it; I may not do it,” he said in response to a question about potential U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. “Iran’s got a lot of trouble, and they want to negotiate.”

The remarks came just hours after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei delivered a defiant speech, rejecting Trump’s demand for an “unconditional surrender” and warning the U.S. of severe consequences if it chose military action.

“Those who know Iran, its people, and its history would never speak to this nation in the language of threats,” Khamenei said in a televised address, according to Iranian state media. “The Iranian nation will not submit. Any U.S. military intervention will inflict irreparable damage.”

President Trump claimed he had issued Iran the “ultimate ultimatum” but declined to elaborate on its specifics. He criticized Tehran for missing a 60-day deadline he said he had set for rejoining nuclear negotiations, calling their failure to do so a “mistake.”

“I tried to do it nicely,” Trump said. “Then on Day 61, I said, ‘Let’s go,’ because we can’t let that happen,” referring to Iran’s alleged pursuit of a nuclear weapon.

The current flare-up follows Israel’s airstrikes on Iranian targets last week, which triggered the latest round of hostilities. Trump previously stated he had urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to delay any military action to avoid undermining U.S. diplomatic efforts.

When asked whether it was now “too late” for Iran to return to the negotiating table, Trump gave mixed signals. “Nothing is too late,” he said initially, before adding that he told Iranian interlocutors it was “very late” when they reached out.

“There’s a big difference between now and a week ago,” Trump remarked, underscoring the rapidly evolving nature of the crisis.

The escalating rhetoric from both Washington and Tehran has deepened concerns about the prospect of a broader regional conflict in the Middle East.