U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday dismissed reports that Washington, in coordination with Israel, was planning a military strike on Iran, signaling instead his preference for a renewed nuclear agreement with Tehran.
"Reports that the United States, working in conjunction with Israel, is going to blow Iran into smithereens, ARE GREATLY EXAGGERATED," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
"I want Iran to be a great and successful Country, but one that cannot have a Nuclear Weapon... I would much prefer a Verified Nuclear Peace Agreement, which will let Iran peacefully grow and prosper. We should start working on it immediately, and have a big Middle East Celebration when it is signed and completed. God Bless the Middle East!
Trump’s comments follow his statement Tuesday that he was open to negotiating a new nuclear deal with Iran and even willing to speak directly with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Such a move, if realized, would be highly unusual and reminiscent of the historic 2013 phone call between then-President Barack Obama and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani—the first direct communication between U.S. and Iranian leaders since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded Wednesday, saying Washington’s concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions were “not complicated” and could be addressed. He reiterated Iran’s longstanding position that it does not seek nuclear weapons, pointing to the country’s membership in the Non-Proliferation Treaty and a fatwa issued by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei prohibiting nuclear weapons.
Araghchi also criticized Trump’s decision to reinstate his “maximum pressure” sanctions policy, arguing that it had already failed during Trump’s previous term. “If this failed policy is pursued again, it is destined to fail once more,” he said.
Despite signaling openness to diplomacy, Trump on Tuesday signed a presidential memorandum reinstating sweeping economic sanctions on Iran, aimed at crippling its economy and forcing Tehran to abandon any nuclear ambitions. The sanctions particularly target Iran’s oil revenues, a critical source of funding for the regime.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
While signing the order, Trump acknowledged the severity of the measure, stating that he had deliberated extensively before reimposing the sanctions.
Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani, when asked about Trump’s openness to talks with Pezeshkian, responded that Iran’s foreign policy has always been guided by “principles of national honor, wisdom, and strategic interests.”
Meanwhile, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Wednesday dismissed U.S. accusations that Tehran had plotted to assassinate Trump. Last year, U.S. security officials reported the arrests of several suspects allegedly linked to an Iranian plot targeting Trump. On Tuesday, Trump warned that he had instructed his team to “destroy Iran” if such an attempt were successful.
The Iranian spokesperson rejected the allegations as “fabricated ideas spread by warmongers.”
Israeli officials had been aware before Netanyahu’s meeting with Trump that the former U.S. president was hesitant to use military force against Iran, according to Israeli sources. Trump had repeatedly emphasized that he “would not start new wars.”
As a result, Israeli leaders focused their efforts on urging Trump to reinstate crippling sanctions on Tehran—a request he ultimately granted.