Trump warns US may need to hit Iran again as deal deadline looms

Trump warned Tuesday that the US may need to strike Iran again after pausing a planned attack following a new Iranian peace proposal.

He said a deal must be reached within days or military action would follow, and confirmed Xi Jinping pledged China would not send weapons to Tehran.

Why did Trump say the US may need to hit Iran again?

Trump was an hour from ordering a strike on Iran before pulling back, he told reporters at the White House on Tuesday.

Tehran had submitted a new proposal to end the U.S.-Israeli war, prompting the pause. Iran's leaders are "begging" for a deal, Trump said, but warned that a new attack would come within days if no agreement was reached.

How long does Iran have to reach a deal?

Trump said Iran has two or three days, possibly until Sunday or early next week, to come to the table.

He declined to say whether he had decided to target Iran's nuclear facilities, saying only: "I may do it, I may not do it." The window for diplomacy is narrow, with Trump warning of another major strike if talks collapse.

What would a deal with Iran need to include?

Trump said Washington would accept an agreement that prevented Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. He is also under pressure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage for global oil and commodity supplies.

Trump has previously said a deal was close while simultaneously threatening heavy military action if Iran failed to comply.

What did Xi Jinping promise Trump about Iran?

Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping personally promised, during their bilateral meeting last week, that Beijing would not supply weapons or military equipment to Iran.

Reuters could not verify whether military preparations had been underway for strikes that would have marked a resumption of the war Trump launched in late February.

Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have said the war aims to curb Iran's support for regional militias and dismantle its military capacity.