On March 30, 2025, former President Donald Trump issued a provocative Eid Mubarak message to Iran, intertwining a traditional holiday greeting with a stark ultimatum regarding the country’s nuclear ambitions. Speaking in a televised interview with NBC News, Trump extended Eid wishes to the Iranian people, emphasizing his admiration for their culture and history, but quickly pivoted to a hardline stance on Iran’s nuclear program. He declared that unless Iran agrees to negotiate a deal to completely dismantle its nuclear capabilities, he would order the U.S. military to launch a bombing campaign “the likes of which they have never seen before.” This message comes amidst heightened tensions, as Trump has been pushing for renewed nuclear negotiations since sending a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei earlier in the month, a move that Iran has so far rebuffed.
 

Trump’s Eid Mubarak message, while framed as a gesture of goodwill, has been widely interpreted as a calculated escalation in his “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran, which he reinstated after taking office in January 2025. The former president has consistently criticized the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which he withdrew the U.S. from in 2018, arguing it failed to address Iran’s broader military ambitions and regional influence. In his message, Trump reiterated his belief that Iran’s nuclear program poses an existential threat to global security, pointing to recent reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that Iran has been enriching uranium to 60% purity—nearing weapons-grade levels. His threat of unprecedented military action aligns with recent U.S. military maneuvers, including the deployment of B-2 stealth bombers to the Indian Ocean, signaling readiness to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities if negotiations fail.
 

The reaction to Trump’s message has been mixed, with some praising his direct approach while others condemn it as reckless warmongering. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, responding via the sultanate of Oman, rejected direct negotiations with the U.S. under the current pressure campaign, though he left the door open for indirect talks—a position Tehran has maintained since Trump’s initial outreach. On X, sentiments reflect global unease, with users decrying the threat of bombing as an unnecessary escalation that could lead to catastrophic loss of life and further destabilize the Middle East. Critics argue that Trump’s approach risks alienating potential mediators like Russia and Oman, who have offered to facilitate dialogue, and could push Iran closer to pursuing a nuclear weapon as a deterrent, especially given its recent military exercises focused on defending nuclear sites. Trump’s blending of a religious greeting with a military threat underscores his unorthodox diplomatic style, but whether it will force Iran to the negotiating table or ignite a broader conflict remains uncertain.