Washington DC [US], May 5 (ANI): US President Donald Trump on Monday (local time) sharpened his warnings to Iran over its nuclear program and regional tensions, saying that the United States 'can't let Iran have a nuclear weapon'.

During a Fox News interview, Trump also suggested that Iran would be 'blown off the face of the Earth' if it attacked US vessels involved in the operation 'Project Freedom'.

Speaking at the White House Small Business Summit, President Trump tied U.S. economic performance and national security policy together, arguing that continued pressure on Iran was necessary to prevent nuclear escalation.

'We're truly making America great again. It's... we're doing record, record business,' Trump said. 'We can't let Iran have a nuclear weapon. We hit all new highs, and I said we have to take care of business because we can't let that happen.'

The president went on to describe the US military posture in the region, claiming American forces maintained overwhelming superiority. 'They have no Navy, they have no Air Force, they have no anti-aircraft equipment, they have no radar, they have no nothing,' he said, adding that Iran's leadership structure had been significantly weakened.

He said,'They have no leaders, actually. The leaders happen to be gone, also.'

Meanwhile, in comments attributed to an interview with Fox News, Trump warned Iran against targeting US assets linked to what he referred to as 'Project Freedom'.

According to Fox News, Trump said Iran would be 'blown off the face of the Earth' if it attacked US vessels involved in the operation. Fox News also quoted the president saying, 'We have more weapons and ammunition at a much higher grade than we had before,' adding that US military installations around the world were fully equipped and prepared.

He said, 'We have the best equipment. We have stuff all over the world. We have these bases all over the world. They're all stocked up with equipment. We can use all of that stuff, and we will, if we need it.'

Trump also suggested Iran's stance in negotiations had shifted, saying he believed Tehran had become 'much more malleable,' while emphasising that US military deployments in the region were ongoing.

US President Donald Trump on Monday (local time) said that the American forces had destroyed 'seven' small vessels linked to Iran, escalating tensions around the Strait of Hormuz under 'Project Freedom.'

In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed Iran had targeted 'unrelated nations' in relation to ship movements, including an incident involving a South Korean cargo vessel, and suggested Seoul should consider joining the US-led effort.

'We've shot down seven small Boats or, as they like to call them, 'fast' Boats. It's all they have left,' Trump wrote.

He added that, aside from the South Korean vessel incident, there had been no further damage reported in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global energy shipments.

Trump also announced that US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine would hold a press conference on the developments on Tuesday morning (local time).

An explosion followed by a fire struck a Panama-flagged vessel operated by South Korea's HMM Co. while it was anchored in the Strait of Hormuz, with authorities investigating whether the incident was caused by an external attack, according to Yonhap News Agency.

Citing government officials, Yonhap reported that the blast occurred at around 8:40 p.m. (local time) on Monday in waters near the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The vessel was carrying 24 crew members, including six South Koreans and 18 foreign nationals, and no casualties have been reported so far, the ministry said.

The cause of the explosion and the extent of the damage remain under investigation.

The Truth Social post came as Trump's Project Freedom was launched on Sunday (local time).

US media outlets The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), CNN and Axios have emphasised Trump's chosen word of 'guide' rather than 'escort' to describe how his new naval mission will work in the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump explained that various nations had reached out for American help to ensure their ships could navigate out of the strategic waterway safely.

Trump noted that these requests came from 'Countries from all over the World, almost all of which are not involved in the Middle Eastern dispute going on so visibly, and violently, for all to see.'

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei had confirmed that officials are currently assessing a counter-proposal from the United States aimed at halting the ongoing conflict, according to a report by Al Jazeera. (ANI)