In the interview, Trump declined to discuss potential military action. But on Wednesday, he posted an artificial intelligence-generated image on Truth Social of himself holding a gun as bombs explode in Iran in the background.
"They want a deal. They don't want me to keep the sanctions. I don't want to do that (lift the sanctions) because I don't want them to have nuclear weapons," Trump told Channel 12.
The president added that Iran's oil reserves and pipelines will soon explode because Iran cannot export oil due to the blockade.
"A naval blockade is, to some extent, more effective than bombing. The Iranians are suffocating – like a fattened pig. And it will get worse for them. They cannot have nuclear weapons," he said.
