President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Iran has "taken too long to negotiate a deal" over the Mideast conflict and will now "have to pay the price," while Iran warned that any resumption of U.S. and Israeli air strikes would meet a "heavier" and "stronger" retaliation.
"Iran is all talk and no action," Trump said on Truth Social. "They've taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, now they will have to pay the price."
In a phone interview with Fox News, Trump also suggested he may order new strikes on Iran's power plants and bridges.
"I may keep going," Trump said during the interview. "They had a chance to sign a deal and survive."
The president claimed Tehran has been "tapping the U.S. along" in peace talks that have ultimately made little progress.
During an interview later the same day, Trump said U.S. forces will continue striking Iran, one day after the United States launched strikes in southern Iran following the downing of a U.S. Army helicopter.
"We're going to hit them hard again today," he told reporters at the White House. "We're going to be attacking them and attacking them very hard."
The U.S. military reportedly hit about 20 targets in its strikes on Iran on Tuesday in response to the downing of the helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. The targets included Iranian air defenses, radar sites and ground control stations, U.S. Central Command said in a statement on Tuesday.
In response to U.S. attacks and Trump's threats, Iranian Armed Forces spokesman Abolfazl Shekarchi said on Wednesday that Iran will respond to every threat from the United States "more severe, heavier, and stronger" than ever before.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Wednesday that Iran and the U.S. should move beyond "this state of neither war nor peace."
Speaking at an event commemorating late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, he noted that Iran must break free from a situation that is neither war nor peace, and said war is not in Iran's national interest.
But if "they seek to violate our land and our territory," Iran will never surrender and never retreat, he added.
Trump warns of new strikes on Iran over delayed talks, Iran vows stronger retaliation
Canada is gearing up for its role as one of the co-host countries of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but local residents in Vancouver have mixed feelings about the event, with many voicing concerns over costs, crowds, and whether the city has the necessary infrastructure in place to cope with the global football spectacle.
The tournament kicks off on Thursday and will run through July 19. It is set for its biggest ever edition, with a record number of 48 teams participating and games taking place across three countries for the first time.
Canada is one of the co-hosts alongside the U.S. and Mexico, with seven matches set to be staged in Vancouver. The city, which previously hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics, has once again entered "major event mode."
The iconic BC Place stadium will be the venue for the upcoming matches and is now surrounded by World Cup decorations, while the nearby Science World, another distinctive city landmark, has been transformed into a giant replica of the official World Cup match ball.
Despite the festive atmosphere around the city, local residents are grappling with a mix of excitement and unease about the challenges ahead.
"Generally speaking, I think Vancouverites welcome the excitement of the games and of FIFA. But some people are worried about the typical things of big events. Big events bring lots of noise and crowds and commotion," said a local resident.
Financial concerns are also at the forefront of public debate, with some questioning the extortionate costs associated with running the event and also drawing attention to the steep prices of match-day tickets.
"But there's a lot of cost. Who's really going to benefit? I mean, the [expensive] ticket prices. I mean, who's gonna go?" another resident said.
Infrastructure readiness remains another point of contention, with doubts over whether Vancouver can handle the massive influx of visitors.
"I don't know about the infrastructure we have here. I'm a little bit worried about that and [about the] transportation and what the city is going to look like," said another resident.
Behind the scenes, the financial commitment to hosting the tournament has grown significantly. According to the latest financial updates from the provincial government in British Columbia, the total budget for World Cup preparations has risen to 729 million Canadian dollars due to security and infrastructure upgrades. This averages out to more than 100 million Canadian dollars per match.
Despite the heavy investment and potential short-term disruptions, local government and tourism officials remain confident that the long-term returns will be substantial long after the last ball is kicked.
Maya Lange, vice president of global marketing at Destination British Columbia, highlighted the projected economic windfall for the region.
"Just for British Columbia and Vancouver alone, we are projecting a billion [dollars] in incremental revenue from hosting the World Cup for tourism, for the five years following these games," she said.
The first match at the BC Place lands on Sunday as Australia plays Türkiye, but all eyes will be on the Vancouver venue later this month when home favorite Canada takes on Qatar and then Switzerland in its final two group stage fixtures at the stadium.
Vancouver readies for World Cup kick-off amid mixed public sentiment, soaring costs
