Asked about Ali Khamenei’s warning, Trump told reporters: “Of course he is going to say that.
Iran’s supreme leader warned Sunday that any attack by the United States would spark a “regional war” in the Middle East, further escalating tensions as U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to militarily strike the Islamic Republic over its crackdown on recent nationwide protests.
The comments from the 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei are the most-direct threat he’s made so far as the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and associated American warships are in the Arabian Sea, sent there by Trump after Tehran’s bloody crackdown on recent nationwide protests.
It remains unclear whether Trump will use force. He’s repeatedly said Iran wants to negotiate and has brought up Tehran’s nuclear program as another issue he wants to see resolved.Donald Trump has said Iran wants to make a deal rather than face US military action, despite Tehran’s insistence that its missile and defence systems will “never” be up for negotiation.
“I can say this, they do want to make a deal,” the US president told reporters at the White House on Friday when asked about a build-up of forces in the Gulf, without providing details.
He had warned Tehran on Wednesday that time was “running out” to negotiate a deal on its nuclear programme after a large US naval fleet had gathered near the country.
Iran’s foreign minister said there were no talks planned with the US at present but that Tehran was open to negotiations based on “mutual respect” and trust.
