Washington, DC – US President Donald Trump said that the Iranians are currently in contact with the US, but he believes they are not ready to reach an agreement.
He added, “Iran doesn’t have many drones left.” This came during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, which was rescheduled from April after a shooting incident disrupted the initial event.
Launch a large-scale military operation
Trump stressed that “Iran would have used nuclear weapons if it had them.” He also indicated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would be visiting the United States in the coming days.
Trump had previously stated that he had not yet made a decision regarding broader strikes against Iran, as Tehran appeared to be showing “greater seriousness” in talks with Washington.
When asked by reporters in the Oval Office whether he had made a decision, following reports that he had met with his top advisors to discuss a large-scale military operation against Iran, Trump said:
“No, I haven’t made a decision yet. We are talking to them right now. I think they are showing more seriousness every day, and perhaps the reason is obvious.”
We are fully prepared to move
Trump explained that Iran has two options: either reach an agreement or face a “much more intense” level of strikes. This came about two weeks after the United States resumed its attacks against Tehran, and the latter responded by bombing targets in the region.
Trump continued, saying, “We are fully prepared and ready to act. But we are talking to them, and we will see what these talks produce. I think they are serious, and they should be.”
Trump reiterated his position that his red line is Iran getting close to developing a nuclear weapon. However, he emphasized that the “tipping point” that would prompt him to make his decision is not yet clear.
