Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley is throwing her weight behind the U.S. military strikes on Iran, but she doesn't want Washington to stop there. On Wednesday, she called for ramping up pressure on China and Russia, accusing them of arming the Iranian regime and enabling its stalling tactics.
In a post on X alongside a Fox News interview clip, Haley wrote, "Iran will always play games. It was absolutely the right decision to strike today. Now let's up the pressure on China and Russia for their role arming the regime and allowing them to stall further."
During the interview, Haley argued that Iran has repeatedly used negotiations to buy time. "They stalled. They make you think they're going to do something… and then the whole time they're strategizing," she said. She added that Iran was "rebuilding" its military capabilities while talks continued, citing evidence that Tehran had "excavated 50 of the 69 tunnels" previously used for missiles, allowing it to "fight another day."
Haley also called for expanding U.S. pressure beyond Iran, alleging that China has supplied weapons systems and Russia has provided drones and satellite support. She said holding those countries accountable is key to weakening Iran's military capacity.
Her comments come as President Donald Trump expressed optimism that a deal with Iran could be near. On Tuesday, Trump said the war with Iran could end soon, expressing confidence that negotiators were close to a "very, very good deal" to stop Iran's nuclear weapons development. He said a deal could be reached in "two or three days," with the Strait of Hormuz expected to reopen quickly. However, he added that U.S. sanctions and port restrictions would remain until a final agreement is reached.
Trump has previously stated that the U.S. was prepared to remove Iran's enriched uranium reserves with or without cooperation and warned of possible military action if no deal is reached.
Not everyone is convinced. Last month, former U.S. national security adviser John Bolton said a ceasefire with Iran had strengthened Tehran by giving it time to rebuild its military capabilities. He argued that the pause in fighting "only benefited the regime," allowing Iran to restart drone and missile production.
Haley's stance aligns with Bolton's skepticism, suggesting that the U.S. should not let up on pressure—not just on Iran, but on its allies as well.
