US President Donald Trump has threatened to launch “even harsher” attacks on Iran tonight, Thursday. He also threatened to seize Kharg Island, a key hub for Iran’s oil export infrastructure.

Trump’s new threat comes as the US and Iran have continued to exchange fire today, Thursday, following yesterday’s clashes. This situation has jeopardized the fragile ceasefire and ongoing talks to end the conflict.

However, Iranian sources and Western officials have indicated that indirect negotiations between the two nations regarding a preliminary peace agreement have intensified.

In a post today on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump wrote, “The US will launch even harsher attacks on Iran tonight. (Most of their offensive capabilities—along with their navy, air force, radar, anti-aircraft systems, and other defense mechanisms—have already been destroyed).”

Referring to Iran’s main oil supply hub, Trump added, “The day is not far off when we will take control of Kharg Island and other oil infrastructure sites, and seize complete control of their oil and gas markets.”

There has been no immediate reaction from Tehran regarding Trump’s latest threat. However, Iran’s Foreign Ministry stated this morning that the ceasefire agreed upon in early April has become effectively meaningless due to recent US attacks.

The US and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran on February 28. Israel also began an offensive in Lebanon on March 2. More than 7,000 people have been killed so far in the aggression by both nations, and hundreds of thousands have been displaced in Iran and Lebanon. The attacks have caused a standstill in the Strait of Hormuz—a vital waterway—leading to a rise in global fuel prices.

Forty days into the conflict, on April 8, Washington and Tehran agreed to a temporary ceasefire mediated by Pakistan. High-ranking officials from both countries held nearly 21 hours of talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, on April 11 and 12, but the discussions concluded without an agreement. Efforts to arrange a second meeting have been ongoing since then. Although talks to halt the conflict have stalled, three Iranian sources and Western officials have told Reuters that indirect negotiations between the two sides are still ongoing. However, detailed discussions on several issues remain pending; a key issue among them is how to release billions of dollars in Iranian funds currently frozen in banks across various countries.

One Iranian source stated that, from a military perspective, the conflict has reached a dead end. The United States failed to achieve its objectives by attacking Iran. Nevertheless, progress has been made regarding negotiations and a potential settlement.

Trump has repeatedly claimed that a deal is nearing completion, but US officials have not immediately commented on the latest status of the indirect talks.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said yesterday, “If we have to negotiate with bombs, then we will negotiate with bombs. We are quite good at that.”