Iran rejects talks with USA–Donald Trump threatening to bomb Iran–Ayatollah Ali Khamenei downplays attack risk

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Iran does not want to enter formal negotiations with the Trump Administration, despite bomb threats:

Iran has rejected direct negotiations with the US in response to Trump’s letter

March 30, 2025

Iran’s president said Sunday that the Islamic Republic rejected direct negotiations with the United States over its rapidly advancing nuclear program, offering Tehran’s first response to a letter that U.S. President Donald Trump sent to the country’s supreme leader.

President Masoud Pezeshkian said that Iran’s response, delivered via the sultanate of Oman, left open the possibility of indirect negotiations with Washington. However, such talks have made no progress since Trump in his first term unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers in 2018. …

Trump said before Pezeshkian’s comments that he was considering military action and secondary tariffs, if Iran doesn’t agree to a nuclear deal.

“If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing and it will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before,” Trump said in a comment aired Sunday by NBC News. …

Press TV, the English-language arm of Iranian state television, published an article last week that included listing U.S. bases in the Middle East as possible targets of attack. The list included Camp Thunder Cove on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, where the U.S. is basing stealth B-2 bombers likely being used in Yemen.

“The Americans themselves know how vulnerable they are,” warned Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf on Friday. “If they violate Iran’s sovereignty, it will be like a spark in a gunpowder depot, setting the entire region ablaze. In such a scenario, their bases and their allies will not be safe.” https://apnews.com/article/iran-rejects-direct-negotiations-trump-letter-us-c414743a567c574b6f48f64a2e889f31

30 March 2025

Donald Trump on Sunday explicitly threatened Iran with war unless Tehran comes to the table and hammers out a new agreement on nuclear weapons with Washington.

The president spoke with NBC’s Kristen Welker in an early-morning phone call and told the host of Meet the Press that there would be “bombing” if Iran did not negotiate with the US, or if a deal was not reached as a result of those talks.

“If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing,” said the US president. “It will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before.” https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-iran-bomb-nuclear-deal-b2724205.html

March 30, 2025

Retired U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt told Newsmax on Sunday that the United States is likely headed to a “military place” against Iran and its advancing nuclear program.

Holt’s remarks came hours after Iran rejected President Donald Trump’s demands for direct negotiations in a letter he sent earlier this month.

“That’s very concerning,” Holt said …

Trump told NBC News on Sunday that “there will be bombing” if Tehran did not come to an agreement with the U.S.

“I read President Trump’s letter; very direct. But I would have thought that it would have been in the regime’s best interest to at least continue in a dialog mode,” Holt said. “So we have a presentation of forces that are set up to take away Iran’s nuclear program, and it can and probably will do that if we don’t get to a better place. So maybe third-party negotiations. But Lidia, I think we’re on our way to a military place.” https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/blaine-holt-newsmax-military-action/2025/03/30/id/1204951/

We will see if Donald Trump bombs Iran.

If so, expect Iran to take actions.

Trump’s threat to bomb Iran would spark retaliation, its supreme leader says

Trump reiterated his threat that Iran would be bombed if it does not accept his offer for talks outlined in a letter sent to Iran’s leadership in early March.

March 31, 2025

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Monday the U.S. would receive a strong blow if it acts on President Donald Trump’s threat to bomb Tehran unless it reaches a new nuclear deal with Washington.

Trump reiterated his threat on Sunday that Iran would be bombed if it does not accept his offer for talks outlined in a letter sent to Iran’s leadership in early March, giving Tehran a two-month window to make a decision.

“The enmity from the U.S. and Israel has always been there. They threaten to attack us, which we don’t think is very probable, but if they commit any mischief they will surely receive a strong reciprocal blow,” Khamenei said.

“And if they are thinking of causing sedition inside the country as in past years, the Iranian people themselves will deal with them,” he added. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/iran-trump-ayatollah-khamenei-supreme-leader-bomb-nuclear-deal-tehran-rcna198823

Iran is talking tough. Yet, the probability of Donald Trump ordering bombing of Iran –and/or green lighting Israel to do it — is higher than Ayatollah Ali Khamenei publicly has stated.

If the USA and/or Israel takes such actions, Israel may also take more severe military actions against Gaza and other places (cf. Zephaniah 2:4).

Iran and its allies would be expected to retaliate and may well soon damage Jerusalem (cf. Isaiah 22:6-9).

Regarding Iran, Donald Trump, and prophecy, the following is from my latest book available at Amazon Kindle: Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? as well as Amazon print Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?:

Iran and Prophecy

Prior to his first election, Donald Trump stated that he wants to eliminate or at least change the “nuclear deal” with Iran. [i]

And that he did.[ii]

However, the Biden-Harris Administration tried to revive it, though never fully did. However, the Biden-Harris Administration did release billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets back to Iran[iii] as well as it, apparently intentionally, did not enforce sanctions which allowed Iran to nearly triple its oil revenues 3 years after Donald Trump left office.[iv]

In the June 27, 2024 debate with Joe Biden, Donald Trump then blamed the Biden-Harris Administration for assisting in Iran’s ability to provide more funding to proxies such as Hamas and Hezbollah.[v] It is believed that Donald Trump will likely use some type of “maximum pressure” strategy again against Iran during his next Administration.[vi]

Because Bible prophecy indicates that it will be primarily Arabic nations that support the final King of the South (Daniel 11:40-43; Ezekiel 30:1-8), though with some support (probably temporary per Daniel 11:25-26) from Turkey (and possibly Pakistan), it is not biblically possible that Iran can truly be the leader of the Islamic world as it seems to want to be. Also, because it is basically due east of Jerusalem, Iran should not be considered to be a candidate to be the final ‘King of the South’ of biblical prophecy.

Despite its posturing and relative military strength, Iran will be somehow effectively neutralized (cf. Ezekiel 32:24). This could perhaps be from an attack involving Israel and/or internal civil unrest — this could also include electromagnetic (EMP) or similar weapons used against Iran (Jeremiah 49:34-39).

It is of prophetic interest to note that the small nation of Israel is prophesied to one day be attacked by some that seem to have a connection to Iran (Isaiah 22:1-14).

Iran may decide to strike out against Israel, and possibly Jerusalem (cf. Isaiah 22:7-8) if a Trump Administration and/or Israel takes actions it does not like.

Iran has weapons that can cause damage. Furthermore, the USA itself (as well as is the State of Israel) is vulnerable to EMP type attacks and items such as biological weapons, chemical weapons, terrorism, nuclear weapons, dirty bombs, etc. because of a conflict involving Iran, Syria, and/or others.

But should this occur, this would NOT be the final destruction of the USA. Prophetically, Iran would not end up faring well (cf. Ezekiel 32:24-25).

[i] Wilkinson T. Trump’s plans to scuttle or amend the Iran nuclear deal remain a work in progress. Los Angeles Times, November 14, 2016

[ii]^{Trump DJ. President Donald J. Trump is Ending United States Participation in an Unacceptable Iran Deal. White House Fact Sheet, May 8, 2018}

[iii]^{Knickmeyer E, et al. Americans released by Iran arrive home, tearfully embrace their loved ones and declare: ‘Freedom!’ Associated Press, September 19, 2023}

[iv]^{Steil B. Biden is Giving Up Powerful U.S. Financial Sanctions on Iran | Opinion. Newsweek, August 13, 2021; Cohen A. Joe Biden’s Iran Oil Sanctions Failure. National Interest, November 2, 2024}

[v] ^{READ: Biden-Trump debate transcript. CNN, June 28, 2024}

[vi] ^{What is Trump’s ‘maximum pressure policy’ that could drive up costs for China’s Iranian oil imports? Times of India, November 6, 2024; Strobel WP, et al. Trump to Renew ‘Maximum Pressure’ Campaign Against Iran. Wall Stree Journal, November 8, 2024}

The Bible shows that God will allow someone, like an Iranian-Syrian confederation, to strike the nation of Israel:

1 The burden against the Valley of Vision.

What ails you now, that you have all gone up to the housetops, 2 You who are full of noise, A tumultuous city, a joyous city? Your slain men are not slain with the sword, Nor dead in battle. 3 All your rulers have fled together; They are captured by the archers. All who are found in you are bound together; They have fled from afar. 4 Therefore I said, “Look away from me, I will weep bitterly; Do not labor to comfort me Because of the plundering of the daughter of my people.”

5 For it is a day of trouble and treading down and perplexity By the Lord God of hosts In the Valley of Vision — Breaking down the walls And of crying to the mountain. 6 Elam bore the quiver With chariots of men and horsemen, And Kir uncovered the shield. 7 It shall come to pass that your choicest valleys Shall be full of chariots,And the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate.

8 He removed the protection of Judah. You looked in that day to the armor of the House of the Forest; 9 You also saw the damage to the city of David, That it was great; And you gathered together the waters of the lower pool. 10 You numbered the houses of Jerusalem, And the houses you broke down To fortify the wall. 11 You also made a reservoir between the two walls For the water of the old pool. But you did not look to its Maker, Nor did you have respect for Him who fashioned it long ago.

12 And in that day the Lord God of hosts Called for weeping and for mourning,For baldness and for girding with sackcloth. 13 But instead, joy and gladness, Slaying oxen and killing sheep, Eating meat and drinking wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

14 Then it was revealed in my hearing by the Lord of hosts,”Surely for this iniquity there will be no atonement for you, Even to your death,” says the Lord God of hosts. (Isaiah 22:1-14)

This could happen in 2025.

That said, a while back, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put together the following Bible News Prophecy video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel related to Iran and Israel:

15:03

Iran and Israel Conflict

European Union foreign policy chief, Josep Borrel, has been brokering the nuclear negotiations involving Iran and said that he thinks the deal is “in danger.” Iran blames the United States, whereas the USA says they are not delaying it. Israeli sources stated that Israel will stop Iran from getting a nuclear bomb. Joe Biden says the USA would use its own military power to prevent Iran from getting such a bomb if need be. In 2021, Iranian lawmakers have submitted a bill seeking the government by law to commit to Israel’s destruction by the year 2040. Does the 22nd chapter of Isaiah point to damage coming to Israel from Iran and possibly Syria? Might Iran be concerned enough about limited progress with the USA to launch some type of attack? Is Iran the prophesied ‘King of the South’? Is it reasonable to think that the prophesied peace deal of Daniel 9:27 will not happen until after a military conflict. like a regional war? Should Christians watch the Middle East? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie discuss these matters.