Trump says Iran increasingly serious, US yet to decide on military aggression

Washington (ANTARA) - US President Donald Trump said Iran is showing its strongest commitment so far in negotiations with the United States, but he has not yet decided whether to launch a large-scale military strike against the country.

“We are in discussions with them right now. I think they are getting more serious as time goes by, perhaps for obvious reasons. In my view, they are serious. In my view, they are far more serious than we have ever seen before, but that does not mean we will get there. We will just see what happens,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington D.C. on Friday (24/7).

Regarding a decision to launch a large-scale attack on Iran, Trump replied that he had not yet considered it.

“We could escalate to a far higher level if we wanted to, we are prepared to do so. We are combat-ready and ready to act. There are two ways. In my view, this is the smarter way, but the other may be the easier way,” Trump added, referring to diplomacy and military action.

Meanwhile, on the involvement of Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, his son-in-law and adviser, in talks with Iran, Trump said everyone, including Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, was taking part.

“This is a big matter. They (Iran) must not have nuclear weapons. Regardless of what everyone says about the election, I am in no hurry. We have to do it properly,” Trump added, referring to the US mid-term elections this autumn.

Trump himself is not on the ballot in the November mid-terms. However, if the Democratic Party manages to capture one or both chambers of Congress, it could complicate Trump’s administration in the final two years of his term.

The United States has carried out a series of strikes across various parts of Iran since last week, in response to what it claimed were Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran responded by attacking facilities and bases used by the US military in a number of countries in the region.

The exchanges of attacks between the two countries have continued despite the United States and Iran having signed a framework agreement. The deal, mediated by Pakistan in June, was intended to end the war that began in February and pave the way for a more permanent peace treaty.