Trump 'Deciding' Whether To 'Blow The Entire Nation Up'

US President Donald Trump told Fox News in a Sept. 20 interview that he is "deciding" on the possibility of escalating the U.S. war on Iran.

"My question is, if and when do I blow the entire nation up? They better behave," said Trump, adding that "very big things" will happen in the war without elaborating on what that would entail.

Trump told Fox News' Trey Yingst that he is "open" to meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week.

Trump has repeatedly raised the possibility of major military escalations during the conflict that began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, but has not followed through on those proposals.

The Sept. 20 echoes an April threat against Iran when Trump said: "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again."

Earlier, Iran's military central command said any new attack would trigger sustained retaliation against U.S. bases and interests and that Washington's regional allies would be considered parties to the conflict. The Iranian military added that it had information that an attack was being prepared, without elaborating on what that information might be.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said Iran would have to keep fighting and negotiating to push back its enemies and consolidate any gains with diplomacy.