U.S. President Donald Trump has again issued a stern warning against Iran, saying the United States is prepared to increase military pressure if necessary. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social on Saturday, Trump wrote that a time may come when the U.S. will have no choice but to complete the military action it had successfully begun, suggesting that such a move could end the existence of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Defense analyst and former Austrian military attaché Wolfgang Pusztai told Al Jazeera that Trump’s remarks should not be taken literally. He said the comments were aimed not only at Iran or the international community but also at domestic political audiences in the United States. According to Pusztai, such threats are not unusual for Trump, who knows that additional military pressure or new attacks would not significantly harm Iran.

Pusztai added that Washington might consider reimposing a blockade in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, warning that such a situation could again expose Gulf countries to heightened regional tensions.