Trump Says No Iran Talks as Post-Election Strike Plans Emerge
(MENAFN) Donald Trump declared Wednesday that Washington is not in negotiations with Tehran, signaling that a decisive turn in the Iran conflict is imminent.
Speaking to reporters on his return from a South Carolina rally, the US president said, “No, I think we’re not negotiating,” and then added: “We are going to have something one way or the other that’ll happen fairly soon.”
Trump said the timing is widely expected to come after the US midterms. “Most people seem to think it’s after the election, and we’re going to see what happens,” he added.
Earlier, at the rally, Trump said the United States could exit the war immediately but is intent on securing a lasting result. “It’ll end very soon. We could leave now, but we want to make sure it lasts for a long time,” he said.
He asserted that the US had beaten Iran on both the military and financial fronts, and that Tehran would “never have a nuclear weapon.”
The comments landed as a major US newspaper reported that American and Israeli military planners have drawn up options for fresh strikes on Iran once the midterm elections are over. The paper cited US officials and others briefed on the discussions.
According to the report, it is far from certain that Trump will sign off. He has repeatedly rejected proposals to resume large-scale combat this year, it said.
A White House official told the newspaper that the administration does not comment on military plans “that may or may not exist.”
The war began Feb. 28, when the US and Israel attacked Iran. Tehran retaliated with missile and drone strikes across the region and effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global energy shipments.
A memorandum of understanding that the US and Iran signed in June, brokered by Pakistani and Qatari mediators, has since stalled over unresolved disputes, including navigation through the strait.
Speaking to reporters on his return from a South Carolina rally, the US president said, “No, I think we’re not negotiating,” and then added: “We are going to have something one way or the other that’ll happen fairly soon.”
Trump said the timing is widely expected to come after the US midterms. “Most people seem to think it’s after the election, and we’re going to see what happens,” he added.
Earlier, at the rally, Trump said the United States could exit the war immediately but is intent on securing a lasting result. “It’ll end very soon. We could leave now, but we want to make sure it lasts for a long time,” he said.
He asserted that the US had beaten Iran on both the military and financial fronts, and that Tehran would “never have a nuclear weapon.”
The comments landed as a major US newspaper reported that American and Israeli military planners have drawn up options for fresh strikes on Iran once the midterm elections are over. The paper cited US officials and others briefed on the discussions.
According to the report, it is far from certain that Trump will sign off. He has repeatedly rejected proposals to resume large-scale combat this year, it said.
A White House official told the newspaper that the administration does not comment on military plans “that may or may not exist.”
The war began Feb. 28, when the US and Israel attacked Iran. Tehran retaliated with missile and drone strikes across the region and effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global energy shipments.
A memorandum of understanding that the US and Iran signed in June, brokered by Pakistani and Qatari mediators, has since stalled over unresolved disputes, including navigation through the strait.
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