Trump Weighs New Iran Options as Tehran Warns of Wider Retaliation and Talks Remain Possible

September 22, 2026 — Washington and Tehran are again exchanging warnings as President Donald Trump considers military, economic and diplomatic options, while Iranian officials signal both readiness to retaliate and conditional openness to negotiations.

President Donald Trump says he is weighing several options toward Iran as tensions rise again, while Tehran warns that any renewed U.S. attack would trigger a broader and more sustained military response.

Speaking to Fox News on Sunday, Trump said he was in “deciding mode” and outlined three broad possibilities: renewed military action, intensified economic pressure, or another attempt to negotiate a settlement.

Trump also said he would be open to meeting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during the United Nations General Assembly in New York, though no such meeting had been formally announced.

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters responded by saying it had information that Washington was preparing new strikes, and warned U.S. bases and interests across the region could be targeted.

The Iranian command also cautioned regional governments against allowing their territory, airspace or facilities to support U.S. operations, saying states that assist such attacks could be treated as parties to the conflict.

A Revolutionary Guard spokesman went further, saying Iran could introduce new weapons and expand the “geography of the war” if the United States or Israel launched another major assault.

Tehran did not provide public evidence for its assertion that Washington was preparing a new bombing campaign, and U.S. officials had not announced a decision to resume large-scale strikes.

The warnings come after nearly seven months of conflict that began with U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran in February and later expanded into missile, drone and maritime confrontations.

Direct U.S.-Iran fighting had eased at times, but the conflict has repeatedly flared, including renewed American strikes in early September and Iranian retaliation against sites associated with U.S. forces.

Trump told Axios last week that he was approaching a major decision on Iran and wanted input from Gulf leaders before determining whether to order another significant military escalation.

At the same time, diplomatic channels remain active. Iran says it has sent Washington conditions for renewed negotiations through Qatar, while Pakistan and other regional governments have supported mediation efforts.

Iranian security official Mohsen Rezaei said Tehran’s conditions include ending the war, releasing frozen Iranian funds and lifting the U.S. naval blockade, demands Washington has not publicly accepted.

Trump, however, has continued to signal that diplomacy remains possible, saying he believes Iran wants an agreement while also warning that military and economic options remain available.

That mixed messaging has left regional governments balancing preparation for renewed fighting with efforts to prevent escalation, particularly as Gulf states remain vulnerable to missiles, drones and disruptions to energy infrastructure.

The Strait of Hormuz remains especially sensitive because a large share of global oil trade passes through the waterway, where military incidents and shipping disruptions have repeatedly affected energy markets.

Oil prices fell on Monday as traders reacted to the possibility of renewed diplomacy and increased shipping traffic through Hormuz, although prices remain elevated compared with levels before the conflict.

Security concerns nevertheless remain high. The U.S. State Department continues to advise Americans in the Middle East to monitor local alerts and prepare for flight cancellations, airspace closures and travel disruptions.

The timing adds diplomatic significance because the United Nations General Assembly’s high-level week begins September 22, bringing Trump, Iranian officials and numerous Gulf leaders to New York.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is expected to attend the General Assembly, creating opportunities for indirect contacts even if a direct meeting with Trump does not ultimately take place.

For now, Washington has announced no final decision on renewed large-scale attacks, while Tehran’s warnings and ongoing mediation leave the conflict suspended between another escalation and a possible diplomatic opening.