Agencies
Washington
US President Donald Trump claimed that the US and Israel’s war against Iran was “way ahead of schedule” and continued to claim that the regime was continuing talks with the US in a Thursday cabinet meeting.
The President then provided conflicting reports on the progress of a deal with the Islamic Republic. Trump said that the Iranians are great negotiators, but that he’s not sure he’s willing to make a deal with them to end the war.
However, he then said the regime was “begging to make a deal” with the US and that it remains to be seen if they would continue negotiations.
“They now have a chance to make a deal, but that’s up to them,” Trump said.
“We’ll see if we can make the right deal. We’ll see if they want to do it,” he said, adding, “in the meantime, we’ll just keep blowing them away unimpeded.”
He then referred to the war in Iran as a “little detour” and asserted that the US would end the war soon.
US Vice President JD Vance additionally spoke at the meeting, affirming that “the Iranian conventional military was effectively destroyed.”
“They don’t have a navy, they don’t have the ability to hit us like they could have even a few weeks ago,” Vance stated, adding that the US will “use every tool at [its] disposal to ensure that Iran doesn’t get a nuclear weapon.”
Speaking about earlier US-Iran negotiations, White House Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said “we were repeatedly rebuffed on everything we asked for’.
He said there were “strong signs” Iran could be convinced to make a peace deal, confirming that Washington had passed a 15-point plan to Tehran through
mediator Pakistan.
Trump reiterated his desire for Iran to “permanently abandon their nuclear ambitions” and to, in his words, “chart a new path forward”.
Trump said, We’ll see if they want to do it. If they don’t, we’re their worst nightmare. In the meantime, we’ll just keep blowing them away unimpeded.
Trump also trumpeted America’s military infrastructure and said the ongoing conflict is “not even a contest”.
He said, They can’t shoot our jets. We have the best. We have the best military equipment in the world. No, not even a contest.
Trump has expressed his disappointment at Nato, again accusing the alliance of doing “absolutely nothing”.
He took particular aim at the UK, saying in a mocking tone that Britain’s aircraft carriers are “toys” compared to what the US has.
Trump said the Gulf region and the US were “shocked” by Iran’s retaliatory attacks in the Middle East. He said, They start shooting at Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Oman. They start shooting at them… Everybody was shocked, including us. You know why? Because they’re sick. And they had a plan to take over the Middle East.
