The State Department said Thursday that the military could still be used to deal with Iran.
"We have been very clear with the Iranian regime that we will not hesitate to use military force when our interests are threatened. I think they understand that. I think they understand that very clearly," said Brian Hook, the Department of State's special representative on Iran.
Hook's remarks came during a news conference at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C., per the Hill.
"I think right now, while we have the military option on the table, our preference is to use all of the tools that are at our disposal diplomatically," Hook said.
The Trump administration withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal in May. The 2015 agreement with Iran, designed to curb its nuclear weapons program, was originally signed by China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, Germany, the U.S., and the European Union.
On Thursday, the Trump administration accused Iran of stepping up violations of a United Nations ban on arms exports by sending rockets and other weaponry to rebels in Afghanistan and Yemen.
The new allegations come as the U.S. ramps up pressure on Iran to halt what it calls "malign activities" in the Middle East and elsewhere by reinstating sanctions that had been lifted under the aforementioned nuclear deal. Iran has denied such accusations in the past.
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.
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