Indicating that a U.S.-Iran nuclear deal could be possible in weeks, President Donald Trump Wednesday said he told Israeli prime minister that it would be inappropriate to strike Tehran at a time when solutions looked “very close.”
“I told him this would be inappropriate to do right now because we’re very close to a solution,” Trump told journalists at the White House.
Trump was asked if he warned Benjamin Netanyahu against the idea of striking Iran at this moment when an action like that could disrupt U.S.-Iranian talks.
“Well, I’d like to be honest. Yes, I did,” he said at the Oval Office.
At the same time, Trump said he would not characterize his statement as a warning.
Regarding the possibility of a deal over Iran’s nuclear issue, Trump it looked close but it was not a done deal yet.
“Now, that could change at any moment. It could change with a phone call. But right now, I think they want to make a deal. And, if we can make a deal, (it would) save a lot of lives.”
He said an accord on Iran’s nuclear issue could come “over the next couple of weeks, if it happens.”
Several rounds of talks between the United States aim to restrict Iran’s nuclear program.
Such a goal would include doing away of the sanctions that successive U.S. Administrations have imposed on Tehran over the nuclear issue.
Israel sees Iranian nuclear threat as existential.
Over the past few weeks, Trump has also threatened to target Iran if the nuclear talks fail.
