Trump threatens Iran over Hezbollah attacks as Switzerland talks kick off

“He better watch his mouth. He better shape up, or we’ll take over the rest of the country,” Trump said.

By World Israel News Staff

As talks between the United States and Iran got underway in Switzerland, US President Donald Trump issued a sharp warning to Tehran, demanding that it rein in Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed groups operating in Lebanon.

In a post on social media, Trump said Iran must immediately stop its “highly paid proxies” in Lebanon from “causing trouble,” warning that the United States would strike Iran again if the attacks continued.

“If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder,” Trump wrote.

The warning came after Trump told Fox News that the current arrangement with Iran is “not a deal with the Iranian regime” but rather an extension of the ceasefire reached following last week’s confrontation.

Trump said he remains in a strong negotiating position and warned that Iran faces serious consequences if it fails to honor its commitments.

“I hold the cards,” Trump told Fox News. “If the Iranians do not fulfill their obligations at the negotiating table, I have the option of 60 days and then I’ll do what I want.”

According to Fox News, Trump also revealed that he spoke with Iranian officials overnight and warned them against disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

“You close the strait and you won’t have a country,” Trump reportedly told the officials, adding that the United States would respond forcefully to any attempt to block maritime traffic.

Trump also responded sharply to remarks by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who declared that Iran would never relinquish what it considers its right to enrich uranium.

Warning Tehran to tone down its rhetoric, Trump said: “He better watch his mouth. He better shape up, or we’ll take over the rest of the country.”

The president’s comments came amid continued fighting in Lebanon, where Hezbollah has launched repeated attacks against Israeli forces despite ongoing calls for a ceasefire.

Trump also expressed frustration with Israel’s inability to decisively defeat Hezbollah, telling Fox News he was disappointed that Israel “cannot move Hezbollah” and suggesting he was close to “giving it to Syria.”

Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance pushed back against criticism of the administration’s handling of Lebanon during the opening stages of the Switzerland meetings.

After a reporter accused Israel of carrying out what she described as a “genocide in Lebanon” and argued that ending the fighting should be the priority, Vance defended the administration’s record.

“I think Trump and the U.S. have done more to stop the conflict in Lebanon than any government anywhere in the world,” Vance said.