- Iran is ready to negotiate a deal, claimed Trump, demanding "very solid" terms first
- Trump insists Iran must abandon nuclear ambitions as part of any ceasefire deal
- Iran has rejected ceasefire talks until US and Israel stop airstrikes and pay compensation
Over two weeks after Israel and the US launched an attack on Iran, Tehran is ready to make a deal, President Donald Trump claimed, though he himself is not ready. In a telephonic interview with NBC News, Trump said terms will have to be "very solid" for the two nations to agree upon a ceasefire and end the war.
"Iran wants to make a deal, and I don't want to make it because the terms aren't good enough yet," he told NBC News, adding that any terms will have to be "very solid."
When asked what the terms of a potential deal to end the war would be, Trump said: "I don't want to say that to you." But he agreed that a commitment from Iran to abandon any nuclear ambitions completely would be part of it.
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Reuters, too, reported on Saturday that Trump is focused on proceeding with the war for now.
"He's not interested in that right now, and we're going to continue with the mission unabated. Maybe there's a day, but not right now," a senior White House official told Reuters.
Another senior White House official expressed similar views, saying that while new potential leadership in Iran has indicated they want to talk and eventually will talk, as Trump told them. "For now, Operation Epic Fury continues unabated," he added.
According to Reuters' sources in Iran, Tehran has rejected efforts by several countries to negotiate a ceasefire until the US and Israel end their airstrikes. Iran has demanded a permanent end to US and Israeli attacks and compensation as part of a ceasefire.
Attack On Kharg Island Underscores Trump's Determination
Trump on Friday said that the United States Central Command executed "one of the most powerful bombing raids in the History of the Middle East, and totally obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran's crown jewel, Kharg Island."
Trump said that for now, he has chosen "not to wipe out" the oil infrastructure on Kharg Island, but issued a threat in case Iran or anyone tried to interfere with the "free and safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz."
The US attack on the island underscores Trump's determination to continue the war with Iran.
Later on Saturday, he added, "we totally demolished Kharg Island, but we may hit it a few more times just for fun."
Trump "Surprised" With Iran's Attack On Middle Eastern Countries
Israel and the US launched strikes on Iran on February 28, and in retaliation, Tehran attacked eight Middle Eastern countries. Reacting to Iran's response, Trump said the US allies in the Middle East, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, "have been terrific" and "they got shot at unnecessarily."
"I was very surprised," Trump said, adding it was "the biggest surprise I had of this whole thing."
When Trump Claimed Iran "About To Surrender"
In a virtual meeting on March 11, Trump told G7 leaders that Iran is "about to surrender," according to three officials from G7 countries briefed on the contents of the call, Axios reported.
Trump claimed that Iran cannot announce the surrender because "Nobody knows who is the leader."
However, 24 hours later, Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said that his country will seek revenge for the US-Israeli strikes.
"We will not forgo avenging the blood of the martyrs. Every citizen killed by the enemy is a case for vengeance in itself," he said.
