JERUSALEM—President Donald Trump’s attempts to initiate discussions with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei regarding the dismantling of Tehran’s illicit nuclear program were met with refusal by the theocratic state following Trump’s latest warning to the regime.
Trump informed NBC that “If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing,” adding that “there’s a chance that if they don’t make a deal, that I will do secondary tariffs on them like I did four years ago.”
Trump also stated that negotiations between the U.S. and Iranian officials are ongoing.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian responded that while Iran is open to talks, past breaches of promises have caused issues in the relationship. He added that the Trump administration must prove their ability to build trust. The White House has not yet responded to Iran’s refusal of talks.
Pezeshkian noted that Iran is open to indirect negotiations with the Trump administration, despite the refusal.
WALTZ TELLS IRAN TO GIVE UP NUCLEAR PROGRAM OR ‘THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES’
The apparent return of Iran’s regime to its standard playbook of opaque indirect talks between the U.S. and Tehran’s rulers raises questions about whether Trump would greenlight military strikes to eradicate Iran’s vast nuclear weapons program.
After Iran launched two massive missile and drone attacks on Israel last year, Trump could also aid the Jewish state in knocking out Iran’s nuclear weapons apparatus.
Indirect talks between the U.S. and the world’s worst state-sponsor of terrorism, according to Democratic and Republican administrations, have not compelled Iran to abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons.
Experts say that Iran could have a nuclear weapon within weeks if it were to take the final steps to building one.
There is widespread discontent among Iranians against the rule of 85-year-old Khamenei.
TRUMP REINSTATES ‘MAXIMUM PRESSURE’ CAMPAIGN AGAINST IRAN
CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP
Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips and the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
