President Donald Trump remained ambiguous about a potential US strike on Iran, while Tehran reiterated its warning that any such attack would face a strong response.
“I may do it, I may not do it,” Mr. Trump told reporters at the White House, refusing to confirm or deny the possibility of military action.
“I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do.”
Mr. Trump suggested it wasn’t “too late” for Iran to halt its nuclear program, as he continues to consider direct US involvement in assisting Israel’s military actions to curtail Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
“Nothing’s too late,” Mr. Trump said. “I can tell you this. Iran’s got a lot of trouble.”
“Nothing is finished until it is finished,” Mr. Trump added. But “the next week is going to be very big — maybe less than a week”.
Mr. Trump also curtly responded to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s rejection of his call for unconditional surrender.
“I say good luck,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Khamenei had previously cautioned that any US attacks on Iran would cause “irreparable damage” to the US and that his country would not yield to Mr. Trump’s demand for surrender.
On Tuesday, Mr. Trump asserted that the US knew Ayatollah Khamenei’s location amidst the escalating Israel-Iran conflict but clarified that he did not want the Supreme Leader killed – “for now.”
“He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Trump’s increasingly forceful statements towards Iran follow his appeal to Tehran’s 9.5 million residents to flee for their safety. This came as he prematurely ended his participation in an international summit to return to Washington for urgent discussions with his national security team.
Mr. Trump stated that Iranian officials are still trying to contact the White House because they are being “getting the hell beaten out of them” by Israel.
He added that there is a “big difference between now and a week ago” in Tehran’s negotiating position.
“They’ve suggested that they come to the White House — that’s, you know, courageous,” Mr. Trump said.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations denied Mr. Trump’s claim via a statement on social media.
“No Iranian official has ever asked to grovel at the gates of the White House. The only thing more despicable than his lies is his cowardly threat to ‘take out’ Iran’s Supreme Leader.”
The US president mentioned earlier in the week that Russian President Vladimir Putin had offered to mediate. However, Mr. Trump said he told Mr. Putin to concentrate on resolving his own conflict with Ukraine.
“I said, ‘Do me a favour, mediate your own’,” Mr. Trump said he told Mr. Putin.
“I said, ‘Vladimir, let’s mediate Russia first. You can worry about this later.”
The relationship between Russia and Iran has grown stronger since Mr. Putin began his war on Ukraine in February 2022, with Iran providing Moscow with drones, ballistic missiles, and other assistance, according to US intelligence.
