By AAMER MADHANI
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump wouldn’t say Wednesday whether or not he has determined to order a U.S. strike on Iran, a transfer that Tehran warned anew could be greeted with stiff retaliation if it occurs.
“I could do it, I could not do it,” Trump mentioned in an trade with reporters on the White Home . “I imply, no person is aware of what I’m going to do.”
Trump added that it’s not “too late” for Iran to surrender its nuclear program as he continues to weigh direct U.S. involvement in Israel’s army operations aimed toward crushing Tehran’s nuclear program.
“Nothing’s too late,” Trump mentioned. “I can inform you this. Iran’s received a whole lot of bother.”
“Nothing is completed till it’s completed,” Trump added. However “the subsequent week goes to be very massive— perhaps lower than every week.”
Trump additionally supplied a terse response to Iran Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s refusal to heed to his name for Iran to undergo an unconditional give up.
“I say good luck,” Trump mentioned.
Khamenei earlier Wednesday warned that any United States strikes concentrating on the Islamic Republic will “lead to irreparable harm for them” and that his nation wouldn’t bow to Trump’s name for give up.
Trump mentioned Tuesday the U.S. is aware of the place Iran’s Khamenei is hiding because the the Israel-Iran battle escalates however doesn’t need him killed — “for now.”
“He’s a simple goal, however is protected there – We aren’t going to take him out (kill!), at the least not for now,” Trump mentioned.
Trump’s more and more muscular feedback towards the Iranian authorities come after he urged Tehran’s 9.5 million residents to flee for his or her lives as he lower quick his participation in a global summit earlier this week to return to Washington for pressing talks along with his nationwide safety crew.
Trump mentioned that the Iranian officers proceed to succeed in out to the White Home as they’re “getting the hell crushed out of them” by Israel. However he added there’s a “massive distinction between now and every week in the past” in Tehran’s negotiating place.
“They’ve recommended that they arrive to the White Home— that’s, you already know, brave,” Trump mentioned.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations refuted Trump’s declare in a press release on social media. “No Iranian official has ever requested to grovel on the gates of the White Home. The one factor extra despicable than his lies is his cowardly risk to ‘take out’ Iran’s Supreme Chief. ”
The U.S. president mentioned earlier this week Russian President Vladimir Putin supplied to serve a mediator with. However Trump mentioned he advised Putin to maintain targeted on discovering an endgame to his personal battle with Ukraine.
“I mentioned, ‘Do me a favor, mediate your individual,’” Trump mentioned he advised Putin. “I mentioned, ‘Vladimir, let’s mediate Russia first. You may fear about this later.’”
The Russia-Iran relationship has deepened since Putin launched a conflict on Ukraine in February 2022, with Tehran offering Moscow with drones, ballistic missiles, and different assist, in accordance with U.S. intelligence findings.
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