After months of urging Israel not to strike Iran while he worked toward a nuclear deal, President Donald Trump told Reuters in a phone interview on Friday that he and his team had known the attacks were coming – and still saw room for an accord.
“We knew everything, and I tried to save Iran humiliation and death. I tried to save them very hard because I would have loved to have seen a deal worked out,” Trump said.
“They can still work out a deal, however – it’s not too late.”
Speaking to Reuters on Friday, the president said he had given the Iranians 60 days to come to an agreement and that the time had expired with no deal. “I couldn’t get them to an agreement in 60 days. They were close; they should have done it. Maybe now it will happen,” he said.
“We knew just about everything,” Trump said. “We knew enough that we gave Iran 60 days to make a deal and today is 61, right? So, you know, we knew everything.”
Trump said it was unclear if Iran still has a nuclear program following Israeli strikes on the country.
“Nobody knows. It was a very devastating hit,” he said.
The US president told Walla on Friday that Israel’s attacks across Iran would not jeopardize diplomatic efforts to curb its nuclear program.
“I think there’s a chance for negotiations – maybe better than before. Maybe now they’ll negotiate seriously,” Trump said.
Iran may still have a chance to negotiate a nuclear deal
He voiced strong support for Israel’s recent strikes on Iran, calling the operation “a very successful attack” in an earlier phone interview with CNN. “We of course support Israel, obviously – and supported it like nobody has ever supported it,” Trump said.
He also claimed he had given Iran a clear warning in advance. “Iran should have listened to me when I said – you know I gave them – I don’t know if you know, but I gave them a 60-day warning and today is day 61,” he said.
“They should now come to the table to make a deal before it’s too late. [If they don’t,] it will be too late for them. You know, the people I was dealing with are dead, the hardliners,” Trump said.
In a separate interview with NBC the same day, the president said Iran may still have a chance to negotiate a nuclear deal.
“They missed the opportunity to make a deal. Now, they may have another opportunity – we’ll see,” he said.
He also told NBC that Iranian officials had contacted him, expressing interest in restarting talks.
“They’re calling me now saying they want to make a deal.”