U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested a return to military action against Iran if current negotiations through intermediaries fail to yield results, stating that his administration will not allow diplomatic efforts to drag on for long without resolution.
In comments to "Axios" and Israel's Channel 12, Trump said that the United States is currently engaged in "very deep negotiations" with Iran, adding, "I don't have a lot of time, things have to move quickly or not at all."
He noted that failure in negotiations would lead to a "return to strong military action" against Iran. Trump mentioned his agreement to suspend attacks after intermediaries requested a chance for negotiations, saying, "Everyone responsible for handling Iran asked me to halt the fire."
Trump explained that his agreement was to allow for diplomatic solutions, asserting that suspending attacks had not harmed the United States. He highlighted that the drop in oil prices and the rise in stock markets came after the decision to halt military operations.
The president also reiterated his belief that Tehran still desires an agreement, expressing hope for negotiation results in the near future.
Regarding his upcoming meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump stated he would discuss developments on the Iranian file, adding that he believes if not for his presidency, "Iran would now have nuclear weapons, and Israel would have been destroyed," as per his expression.