Washington, June 13 (Reuters) - In a recent phone interview, President Donald Trump revealed that he and his team were fully aware of Israel's plan to attack Iran. He emphasized that he had provided Tehran with a fair warning, urging them to negotiate a deal concerning their nuclear program. "We knew everything, and I tried to save Iran humiliation and death. I tried to save them very hard because I would have loved to have seen a deal worked out," Trump stated.
Despite the escalating tensions, Trump remains optimistic about the possibility of reaching an agreement. "They can still work out a deal; however, it’s not too late," he added. Throughout his presidency, Trump had consistently encouraged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to postpone any military action against Iran, allowing more time for diplomatic discussions. However, he also threatened to take military action against the Gulf nation if negotiations failed to yield results.
In his remarks, Trump disclosed that he had given Iran a deadline of 60 days to reach a deal, stating, "Today is 61." This statement underscores the urgency surrounding the negotiations, especially as Iran has expressed resistance to the U.S. demand for them to cease uranium enrichment.
"We knew just about everything," Trump asserted. "We knew enough that we gave Iran 60 days to make a deal and today is 61, right? So, you know, we knew everything.” He also commented on the uncertainty surrounding Iran’s nuclear capabilities following recent Israeli airstrikes, stating, "Nobody knows. It was a very devastating hit." Israel has confirmed that its operations targeted Iran's nuclear facilities, ballistic missile production sites, and military leaders, initiating what they described as a prolonged strategy to thwart Tehran's ambitions to develop an atomic weapon.
Looking ahead, Trump mentioned that the U.S. still has scheduled nuclear talks with Iran planned for Sunday, although he expressed uncertainty about whether these discussions would proceed as intended. "They're not dead," he stated regarding the U.S.-Iran talks. "We have a meeting with them on Sunday. Now, I’m not sure if that meeting will take place, but we have a meeting with them on Sunday."
Trump convened his top national security advisers at Camp David on Sunday night to discuss issues, including Iran, and he subsequently communicated with Netanyahu on Monday about the situation. While he did not express concern over the potential for a regional war resulting from Israel's military actions, he refrained from providing further details.
When asked about the U.S. stance on supporting Israel against potential Iranian counterattacks, Trump reaffirmed America’s close ties with Israel, stating, "We’ve been very close to Israel. We’re their number one ally by far. We'll see what happens." The situation remains fluid as diplomatic efforts continue amidst rising tensions in the region.
Reporting by Steve Holland; editing by Colleen Jenkins and Howard Goller.
