President Donald Trump on Friday said he might support a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between U.S. ally Israel and Iran, but only “depending on the circumstances.”
When asked by reporters if he would back a ceasefire during potential negotiations, Trump replied, “I might, depending on the circumstances.”
He also dismissed the idea that European nations could play a major role in resolving the crisis. “Iran doesn’t want to speak to Europe. They want to speak to us. Europe is not going to be able to help in this one,” Trump said.
On Friday, Iran’s foreign minister met with European diplomats in Geneva in an effort to revive diplomatic engagement over its nuclear program. While European ministers encouraged Iran to return to talks with Washington, the meeting reportedly ended without much progress.
Asked whether the U.S. might consider deploying ground troops to the region, Trump was cautious. “Well, I’m not going to talk about ground forces, because the last thing you want to do is ground forces,” he said.
The air conflict began on June 13 after Israel launched strikes on Iran, marking a sharp escalation in regional tensions that have remained high since Israel’s war in Gaza began in October 2023.
The White House has said Trump will make a decision within the next two weeks on whether the U.S. will get directly involved in the fighting. So far, Trump has sent mixed signals—swinging between calls for diplomacy and hints that Washington could step in militarily to support Israel.
Israel is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons, although it has never officially confirmed it. Israeli officials say their strikes on Iran are intended to prevent Tehran from building a nuclear arsenal. Iran, however, maintains that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and is a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which Israel is not part of.
According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, 639 people have been killed in Iran due to Israeli airstrikes. Israeli authorities say 24 civilians have died in Iran’s retaliatory attacks.
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