Iran sought deal during US strikes: Trump
Washington, July 15
Iranian representatives contacted the United States about an hour before President Donald Trump's Fox News interview and indicated that Tehran wanted an agreement, Trump said, as American strikes continued for a third consecutive night.
Trump said his representatives had communicated with Iranian officials shortly before the interview at the White House.
"Well, not me, but let's say my representatives," Trump said when asked when he had last spoken with an Iranian official. "I have spoken to them, but my representatives over the course of, well, actually, an hour ago."
Asked what message Iran had conveyed, Trump said: "They wanna make a deal."
But he accused Tehran of repeatedly abandoning agreements and said he was not certain whether the latest contact would produce a breakthrough.
"But every time they make a deal, they break it," Trump said. "They don't wanna die. People don't wanna die."
Trump said the United States had delivered a blunt warning in response.
"You better make a deal. You're not gonna have any, you're not gonna have anybody left," he said.
"We're being very careful with the civilian population as you know, but I said, 'You better make a deal, you're not gonna have anything left,'" Trump added.
Asked whether he believed Iran would accept an agreement, Trump replied: "They should. I don't know if they will or not."
Trump said the two sides had reached an agreement shortly before the latest escalation, but Iran withdrew at the last moment.
"Literally two days ago, we had a deal and then they broke it at the last moment," he said. "They broke it."
Later in the interview, Trump said he was no longer interested in immediate negotiations.
"Well, now we, I don't wanna negotiate now," he said. "I said, 'Let's not negotiate.' Three days ago, we had a deal."
Trump said Iran had no alternative but to return to the negotiating table as US military pressure intensified.
"I think they have no choice," he said when asked whether Iranian leaders were serious about reaching an agreement.
The president said preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon remained his most important objective.
"There will be no nuclear weapon," Trump said. "And when you listed the three things, by far, the most important is they will not have a nuclear weapon."
Trump argued that military pressure was the only effective way to secure an agreement with Tehran.
"The only way you can negotiate with these people is through strength," he said. "And the only strength is military strength."
— IANS
Reader Comments
"They don't wanna die" - Trump says it like Iranians are cowards. Brother, nobody wants to die, but people also don't want to be bullied. If Iran really wanted a deal, they wouldn't wait till bombs are falling to call. This whole thing is a mess. India should stay neutral and keep buying their oil through back channels. 🤷♂️
I find it ironic that Trump says "every time they make a deal, they break it" - didn't the US pull out of the JCPOA first? The nuclear deal was working, inspections were happening. Now we're back to square one with innocent civilians suffering. As an Indian, I just hope our government doesn't get dragged into this mess. 😔
"Military strength is the only way to negotiate" - that's the same logic that kept the Cold War going for decades. Iran might be desperate now, but cornered countries do unpredictable things. And for us in India, if Iran retaliates by blocking the Strait of Hormuz, our economy will take a severe hit. Time for India to push for dialogue. 🕊️
As someone who lived through the 1971 war, I can tell you that last-minute negotiations before attacks are always suspicious. Either Iran is genuinely scared, or they're buying time to move their assets. Trump is right about one thing - Iran does have a habit of breaking deals. But his cowboy diplomacy isn't helping anyone. India should be a mediator, not a bystander. 🇮🇳
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.