President Trump says he is weighing a deal with Iran or renewed strikes amid rising Middle East tensions

President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he is considering either negotiating a deal with Iran or escalating military action, describing the choice as "decision time." In a Fox News interview he asked, "Do I finish it off, which would be very easy to do, or do I make a deal?"

Qatari mediators, who have been involved in talks between Washington and Tehran, traveled to Tehran on Sunday, according to Reuters. The visit occurs as Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen continued attacks on Saudi Arabia over the weekend.

The last confirmed U.S. strikes on Iran took place on Sept. 1, and Trump previously indicated that further attacks would wait until after the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Tehran has said it is preparing a military response to any new U.S. strikes.

Trump identified a potential target, "Pickaxe Mountain," a deep underground site linked to Iran's nuclear program, stating, "We can read the badge on somebody's shirt from space, okay? We know exactly what's going on at Pickaxe Mountain. We know the other three [nuclear sites] are obliterated."

He also reiterated the claim that the United States controls the Strait of Hormuz, noting that crude oil flows have returned to pre-war levels, though energy prices remain high due to ongoing disruptions and a global refining squeeze. Both Washington and Tehran have asserted control over the strait, where trade flows are still significantly reduced.

Earlier this month a Singapore-flagged container ship sank in the strait after being struck by an unidentified projectile. Ali Ozmaei, chief of the Iran Revolutionary Guard navy, said Tehran is "counting the moments" until it can sink American warships.