Trump mentioned that he opted to halt US strikes on Iran to allow diplomacy another opportunity, noting that the ongoing discussions are aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz and reviving talks on a comprehensive nuclear agreement.
“We are engaged in very serious discussions with Iran. If they don’t yield results, we will return to very strong military action,” Trump told Axios.
When questioned about the timeline for diplomacy, Trump replied, “Not much time. It either happens quickly or not at all.”
He revealed to Axios that he chose to pause the strikes on Friday after nations involved in mediating the talks encouraged him to give negotiations another shot. He expressed his belief that Iran is interested in reaching an agreement.
Justifying his choice, Trump remarked, “Nothing gained, nothing lost,” adding that oil prices decreased and stock markets improved following his decision to pause the attacks.
Trump also stated to Axios that he will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday. “I am going to discuss with Bibi that if I weren’t president, Iran would now possess nuclear weapons and Israel would have been wiped out,” he said.
