Trump warns Iran of severe retaliation over Flydubai co-pilot attack
Synopsis
Trump's blunt 'they'll be hit very hard' warning over the Flydubai co-pilot attack is his sharpest public threat to Tehran yet — but it came without confirmed evidence of Iranian involvement. With investigations still live across multiple countries and Trump simultaneously issuing a 'sign a deal or cease to exist' ultimatum, the gap between rhetoric and verified fact is the most consequential space to watch right now.
Key Takeaways
US President Donald Trump warned on 2 October that Iran would be hit 'very hard' if found responsible for the Flydubai co-pilot attack.
Trump said information he was receiving suggested a possible Iranian link , but stressed the matter was still under investigation.
The Flydubai flight from Dubai to Israel was diverted to Saudi Arabia after the co-pilot allegedly attacked the Indian captain and attempted to crash the aircraft.
No publicly verified evidence of Iranian involvement had emerged as of Thursday.
Trump cited Iran's 301% inflation , absence of functioning military, and US control of the Strait of Hormuz as leverage, and issued an ultimatum: 'sign a fair deal or they won't exist any longer.' Trump reiterated that Iran would not be permitted to possess nuclear weapons .
US President Donald Trump on Thursday, 2 October warned that Iran would be hit 'very hard' if Tehran is determined to have been behind the attack aboard a Flydubai passenger aircraft, while cautioning that investigators had not yet reached a definitive conclusion. Trump made the remarks to reporters at the White House before departing for Texas, in what analysts are calling one of his sharpest warnings to Tehran since the Iran war.
What Trump Said
When asked whether the co-pilot involved in the Flydubai incident had links to Iran, Trump said: 'We're working on it right now. They're being very open with us. Uh, I would say the answer based on what I'm hearing is yes, but we're working on it right now.' He added that an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps connection or radicalisation through other means was possible, saying: 'It could have been, yeah.'
Pressed on whether the United States would retaliate if Tehran's involvement were confirmed, Trump did not equivocate: 'Oh, they'll be hit very hard. Don't worry. You just ask them. They know what happened. They'll be hit very hard.' He stressed, however, that no evidence of Iranian involvement had been publicly established as of Thursday.
Trump's Broader Warning on Iran
Trump broadened his remarks to encompass Iran's economic and military standing, painting a picture of a weakened adversary. 'Look, Iran now has got 301 per cent inflation. Their money is valueless. Their economy is gone. They have no military. They have no anti-aircraft computers. They have very little going, and we control the strait,' he said, referring to the Strait of Hormuz. He also claimed the US had moved more oil through the strait in the previous two days than at any point in its history, including before the war.
Trump further issued what amounted to an ultimatum: 'They'll either sign a very fair deal or they won't exist any longer,' while praising the US Navy and military for their performance. He also reiterated his long-standing position that Iran would not be permitted to obtain nuclear weapons, adding: 'They cannot have nuclear weapons and they won't have, and they're agreeing not to have.'
The Flydubai Incident: What Is Known
The incident involved an Israel-bound Flydubai flight departing from Dubai that was diverted to Saudi Arabia after the co-pilot allegedly assaulted the Indian captain and reportedly attempted to crash the aircraft. The captain managed to unlock the cockpit door, enabling passengers and crew to intervene. The aircraft was subsequently landed safely. Authorities across several countries are investigating the episode, and no publicly verified evidence of Iranian involvement had emerged as of Thursday.
Political and Geopolitical Context
Trump's remarks come amid already heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran following the Iran war and renewed US pressure over Iran's nuclear programme. Notably, Trump acknowledged in the same exchange that the Iran conflict could affect US midterm elections, but argued that blocking Tehran's nuclear ambitions would ultimately benefit him politically. This comes amid a period of significant US military activity in the region and sustained diplomatic pressure on Iran's leadership.
Trump's comments on Thursday mark a significant escalation in rhetoric but stopped short of confirming that investigators had concluded Iran was responsible for the Flydubai attack. With investigations still active across multiple jurisdictions, the next few days will be pivotal in determining whether diplomatic pressure hardens into military action.
Point of View
The administration has pre-justified retaliation; if they don't, the pressure on Iran's already battered economy and diplomacy has still been applied. The Flydubai incident is becoming a proxy battlefield for the larger US-Iran standoff, with the Strait of Hormuz oil-flow claims and the nuclear deal ultimatum folded into the same press gaggle. What mainstream coverage is underplaying is how the midterm election framing Trump himself introduced complicates any reading of this as purely security-driven — he acknowledged the war's domestic political stakes in the same breath.
NationPress
2 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Trump say about Iran and the Flydubai attack?
Trump warned on 2 October that Iran would be hit 'very hard' if Tehran is found to have been behind the Flydubai co-pilot attack. He said information he was receiving suggested a possible Iranian link but acknowledged investigators had not yet reached a definitive conclusion.
What happened on the Flydubai flight?
A Flydubai flight from Dubai bound for Israel was diverted to Saudi Arabia after the co-pilot allegedly attacked the Indian captain and reportedly attempted to crash the aircraft. The captain unlocked the cockpit door, enabling others aboard to intervene, and the plane landed safely.
Has Iran's involvement in the Flydubai incident been confirmed?
No. As of Thursday, 2 October, no publicly verified evidence of Iranian involvement had been established. Authorities in several countries are investigating, and Trump himself stressed the matter was still being examined.
What ultimatum did Trump issue to Iran?
Trump told reporters that Iran would 'either sign a very fair deal or they won't exist any longer.' He also reiterated that Iran would not be permitted to obtain nuclear weapons under any circumstances.
What did Trump say about Iran's current military and economic state?
Trump claimed Iran is severely weakened, citing 301% inflation, a 'valueless' currency, no functioning military, and no anti-aircraft computers. He also asserted that the United States controls the Strait of Hormuz and had moved record volumes of oil through it in the preceding two days.
