President Trump says he has written to Iran’s supreme chief to open talks for a brand new deal that might stop Tehran from efficiently constructing nuclear weapons.
Though he killed the same cope with Iran in his first time period, Trump mentioned in a brand new interview that he wrote a letter to Ali Khamenei this week warning that Iran ought to negotiate an finish to its quickly advancing nuclear program — or face the implications.
Trump conceded that some would possibly accuse him of going straightforward on the ayatollahs by getting into negotiations. particularly since he used the identical argument to trash former President Obama’s deal to restrict Tehran’s progress in growing nukes.
“I would rather negotiate a deal. I’m not sure that everybody agrees with me, but we can make a deal that would be just as good as if you won militarily,” Trump mentioned. “But the time is happening now. The time is coming up. Something’s going to happen one way or the other.”
Trump, who has railed towards American involvement in what he calls “forever wars” within the Center East and elsewhere, however threatened to take army motion if the talks aren’t productive.
“I think they want to get that letter,” Trump mentioned. “The other alternative is we have to do something because you can’t let them have a nuclear weapon.”
However Iranian state media rapidly picked up Trump’s assertion, suggesting that the Islamic regime is likely to be taking the provide severely.
Trump’s acknowledgment comes as each Israel and the US have warned they’ll by no means let Iran purchase a nuclear weapon, resulting in fears of a army confrontation as Tehran enriches uranium at close to weapons-grade ranges.
Iran lengthy has maintained its program is for peaceable functions. However tensions are excessive with the U.S. over its sanctions and amid Israel’s battle in Gaza.
Trump’s first time period in workplace was marked by a very troubled interval in relations with Tehran. In 2018, he unilaterally withdrew the US from Iran’s nuclear cope with world powers, blasting Obama for what he denounced as a sweetheart cope with the ayatollahs.