As the Israel-Iran conflict enters its sixth day, U.S. President Donald Trump issued a cryptic warning, declining to confirm whether America would join Israel’s military campaign targeting Iranian nuclear sites.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump said, “I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do.”
“We may do that.” “But it’s a little late,” Trump said, while claiming that Iranian officials had expressed interest in visiting Washington for dialogue though he cast doubt on the possibility of a near-term diplomatic breakthrough.
Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of Germany, France, and Britain are scheduled to meet their Iranian counterpart in Geneva on Friday for nuclear discussions.
A German diplomatic source told Reuters that the talks aim to obtain concrete assurances from Iran that its nuclear program will remain purely civilian.
As diplomatic efforts continued, many residents in Tehran sought safety on Wednesday, with highways jammed as people attempted to flee the capital amid escalating Israeli airstrikes.
According to The Wall Street Journal, President Trump told senior aides he had approved plans for potential strikes on Iran but was holding off on issuing the final order, waiting to see if Tehran would step back from its nuclear ambitions.
When asked about the possibility of Iran’s government collapsing due to Israel’s offensive, Trump said, “Sure, anything could happen.”
On the potential destruction of Iran's Fordow nuclear facility, Trump stated, “We're the only ones that have the capability to do it. But that doesn't mean I'm going to do it — at all.”
Meanwhile, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a televised speech criticised US President Donald Trump.
“The Americans should know that any US military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage,” Khamenei warned. “The Iranian nation will not surrender,” he added.
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