Trump: US Not Interested in Meeting Iran Until It Is Ready for Serious Nuclear Talks

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the United States is “not interested” in meeting with Iran until Tehran is ready to hold meaningful nuclear talks. Speaking during a meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in the Oval Office, Trump claimed Iran “very much wants” to meet with the US but has not offered the kind of dialogue Washington seeks. “They very much want to meet, and until they’re ready to meet in a meaningful way, we’re not interested,” Trump said. While insisting Iran must not be allowed to possess nuclear weapons, Trump claimed the US has weakened the country to an unprecedented degree. “If we stopped right now, it would take them 20 to 25 years to rebuild,” he added. Trump further stated that the US campaign against Iran is not over, comparing it to operations in Venezuela but describing the Iran situation as “far bigger.” “And frankly, they haven’t seen anything yet. We’re still being nice,” he said. When asked about reports that Iran had moved centrifuges to Pickaxe Mountain, Trump said it was possible but that such equipment was meaningless without nuclear material. “We track the material. That’s the key, and we will probably be going into that area fairly soon,” he warned, adding that any strike would be carried out with “tremendous force.” The comments follow a Situation Room briefing last week on options to escalate the conflict, including seizing Iran’s Kharg Island oil terminal and striking nuclear facilities. The exchange of fire between the US and Iran has intensified despite a Pakistan-brokered memorandum of understanding signed in June aimed at achieving a permanent peace agreement.