Trump: I prefer a deal to avoid loss of life
US President Donald Trump stated in Nevada on Wednesday that American forces are hitting Iran hard, but his primary objective remains a diplomatic solution to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Trump remarked that he would prefer to reach an agreement because he does not want to see people killed. He claimed that the US had been prepared to launch the greatest attack since the Second World War, but that Iran had reached out to request talks, a claim Iranian officials later denied. The President noted that discussions are ongoing and that he believes Iran now respects the US. He further alleged that no US president in the last 50 years had taken the necessary steps to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power. These comments followed a Fox News interview in which Trump insisted Iran would never possess a nuclear weapon and warned that the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened, or Iran would face very heavy attacks. While Trump claimed the two sides are engaged in very good talks, Iranian officials have rejected this assertion. Regarding a timeline for negotiations, Trump stated he has plenty of time. On Monday, he had mentioned wanting to give Iran a final chance before ordering a major strike, while warning that any planned operation would be very severe. In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the Iranian leadership as highly duplicitous, writing that officials had requested a meeting but then publicly denied any negotiations were taking place, claiming only to be in contact with Oman. Iranian officials have not provided a verified response to these specific claims in this report.