White House says Trump threat on Gaza hostages kept Iran in check

Trump's new press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked by a reporter whether her boss would pursue means short of military action to topple Iran's ruling system.

"I think the President has actually made his position on Iran very clear, and he made that clear when there were the negotiations about the ceasefire, which we know obviously is now in place, and the deadline on that ceasefire has continued," she replied.

Trump had said on Jan. 7 that "all hell will break out in the Middle East” if Hamas failed to ink a deal to release Israeli hostages the Palestinian group funded and armed by Iran abducted in an Oct. 7, 2023 attack.

"He said that Hamas and Iranian-backed terrorists would have hell to pay if that ceasefire didn't move forward, and then quickly thereafter it did," Leavitt added.

Trump has said that Iran cannot be allowed to possess nuclear weapons but has suggested his administration will not seek to overthrow the Islamic Republic.