United States President Donald Trump said Tuesday that it is too late for Iran to pursue negotiations, despite signals from Tehran indicating interest in talks.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Their air defense, Air Force, Navy, and Leadership is gone. They want to talk. I said ‘Too Late!’”
His remarks came two days after he had indicated openness to discussions, amid ongoing joint US-Israeli military operations against Iran.
Speaking to reporters at the White House during a meeting with Friedrich Merz, Trump asserted that the attacks had caused extensive damage.
“Just about everything’s been knocked out,” he said.
Trump also claimed that Iran had been preparing to launch an attack prior to the US and Israeli action, contradicting earlier comments by Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggesting Israel initiated the conflict.
“I think they were going to attack first, and I didn’t want that to happen. So, if anything, I might have forced Israel’s hand,” Trump said.
Addressing concerns about the aftermath of the operation, Trump said the worst-case scenario would be the emergence of a new leader similar to Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.
“I guess the worst case would be, we do this, and then somebody takes over who’s as bad as the previous person,” he said. “That could happen. We don’t want that to happen.”
Trump further stated that two waves of strikes had killed individuals previously considered as potential successors.
“Most of the people we had in mind are dead. Now we have another group. They may be dead also, based on reports,” he said.
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