President Trump [UPI=Yonhap News File Photo]

U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated on the 27th (local time) that he would take powerful military action if diplomatic efforts with Iran fail.

In an interview with the U.S. online media outlet Axios that day, President Trump stated, "We are in very deep negotiations with Iran," adding, "If the negotiations do not yield results, we will return to very powerful military action."

When asked how much more time he would allocate for a diplomatic resolution, President Trump said, "We don't have much time," and added, "It will either happen quickly or not at all."

Axios also reported that President Trump explained his decision to call off a retaliatory strike against Iran on the 24th was due to requests from mediating nations.

President Trump stated, "Everyone negotiating with Iran requested 'don't attack.'" Regarding the reason he accepted these requests, he argued, "There is nothing to gain and nothing to lose."

Axios further noted that President Trump mentioned that after he halted the airstrikes against Iran, oil prices fell and stock prices rose.

Regarding his upcoming meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the 28th, President Trump said, "I will tell Bibi (Prime Minister Netanyahu) that if I weren't president, Iran would likely possess nuclear weapons by now and Israel would have been destroyed."

The U.S. had been conducting airstrikes against Iran for 13 consecutive days before suspending them on the 24th. The U.S. and Iran are continuing negotiations through mediators, including Oman, regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the resumption of nuclear talks.