Donald Trump threatens strikes on Iran's power plants, bridges unless Tehran returns to talks

US President Donald Trump has warned that the United States could expand its military campaign against Iran by targeting the countrys power plants and bridges unless Tehran returns to the negotiating table signalling a possible escalation in the ongoing conflictSpeaking in an interview with Fox News Trump said US military operations would intensify over the coming days and suggested that key infrastructure could be targeted if diplomatic efforts failHis remarks come amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran following several rounds of US strikes on Iranian military targetsTrump signals escalation of military campaignDuring the interview Trump said the United States would continue carrying out strikes against Iran in the coming daysldquoWersquore going to hit them very hard tonight Wersquore going to hit them very hard tomorrow night Wersquore going to hit them very hard the night after and then next week it gets really bad for themrdquo Trump told Fox News in an interviewHe indicated that Irans energy infrastructure would be targeted later in the campaignldquoIrsquoll save the energy targets for last but ultimately wersquoll hit energy targets yeahrdquo he said ldquoNext week comes the power plants Next week comes the bridgesrdquoldquoWersquore gonna knock out all their power plants Wersquore gonna knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiaterdquo Trump saidPresident says Iran has no choice but to negotiateWhen asked whether he believed Iran was willing to negotiate Trump said he expected Tehran to return to talks because of mounting military pressureldquoI think they have no choicerdquoHe also indicated that the military campaign would continue until he was satisfied that its objectives had been achievedldquoTheyrsquoll continue until I say itrsquos enoughrdquo he said ldquoThey have some fight left but they donrsquot have muchrdquoTrump did not specify any timeline for possible negotiations or identify conditions under which military operations would ceaseGround campaign and oil infrastructure remain uncertainTrump declined to confirm whether the United States planned to seize Kharg Island one of Irans principal oil export terminals and did not rule out the possibility of limited ground operationsldquoI would say no if I thought it was appropriaterdquo Trump said when asked whether he was ruling out ground action ldquoSometimes you need a ground campaign but we have other people that will do the ground campaign for usrdquoHe also said the United States had already conducted strikes on Kharg Island but had deliberately avoided targeting its oil facilities because of the potential impact on global energy marketsldquoAt some point we couldrdquo he said about striking the oil infrastructure ldquoBut I think itrsquos unlikelyrdquoRemarks on Strait of HormuzTrump also commented on the status of the Strait of Hormuz one of the worlds busiest maritime trade routes for crude oil shipmentsldquoItrsquos open if people wanna go through itrdquo he said ldquoWersquore not opening it for Iran Thatrsquos the only one itrsquos closed for Itrsquos closed for Iran both in and out but itrsquos open nowrdquoAccording to Fox News shipping data indicated that only 10 vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday representing less than 10 per cent of normal maritime traffic through the strategic waterwayTrump says communication with Iran continuesThe US President said American representatives had been in contact with Iranian officials shortly before the interviewAsked about the message conveyed to Tehran Trump replied ldquoYou better make a deal Yoursquore not gonna have any yoursquore not gonna have anybody leftrdquoWith inputs from IANS