SpaceWar.com - Your World At War
Trump says will 'lead the pack' on Iran attack if no nuclear deal
Washington, April 25 (AFP) Apr 25, 2025
President Donald Trump said the United States will "lead the pack" in attacking Iran if talks over Tehran's nuclear program do not result in a new deal, according to a Time Magazine interview.

The US president -- in the interview conducted April 22 and published Friday -- nonetheless expressed hope that such a deal could be reached, while also saying he was open to meeting Iran's supreme leader or president face-to-face.

"It's possible we'll have to attack because Iran will not have a nuclear weapon," Trump told Time.

The renewed threat comes as Washington and Tehran continue talks over the clerical state's nuclear program, with a third round slated for Saturday in Oman.

Both sides expressed optimism at the end of the last meeting in Rome, without providing any details.

The negotiations have thus far excluded Iran's arch-foe Israel, though Trump on Tuesday said after a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that "we are on the same side of every issue."

Trump, asked by Time about reports he had blocked Israel from conducting a unilateral attack against Iran, replied: "That's not right."

"I didn't stop them. But I didn't make it comfortable for them, because I think we can make a deal without the attack," he said.

"Ultimately I was going to leave that choice to them, but I said I would much prefer a deal than bombs being dropped."

Trump denied that he was worried about Netanyahu dragging the United States into war with Iran, saying: "He may go into a war. But we're not getting dragged in."

However, Trump added he "may go in very willingly if we can't get a deal."

"If we don't make a deal, I'll be leading the pack," Trump told Time.

Trump in 2018 tore up a nuclear deal with Iran negotiated under president Barack Obama and reimposed sweeping sanctions on Teheran.

Western powers and Israel, considered by experts the only nuclear-armed state in the Middle East, have long accused Tehran of seeking nuclear weapons.

Iran has always denied the charge, insisting its nuclear program is for civilian purposes only.

Asked if he would be willing to meet with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei or President Masoud Pezeshkian, Trump replied: "Sure."

bur-tq/bar/des/md

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY


ADVERTISEMENT




Space News from SpaceDaily.com
China launches space probe seeking asteroid samples: Xinhua
The hunt for mysterious 'Planet Nine' offers up a surprise
Kymeta and Eutelsat OneWeb deploy dual-orbit SATCOM terminal to support defense networks

24/7 Energy News Coverage
Photon control breakthrough at ultra-low temperatures advances quantum technology
New gravity test using 3D velocities of wide binaries backs modified Newtonian dynamics
EU adopts CO2 targets reprieve for car industry

Military Space News, Nuclear Weapons, Missile Defense
Trump says warned Netanyahu against striking Iran
Iran says may allow US inspectors from nuclear watchdog if deal reached
Merz says Germany, Ukraine to jointly produce long-range weapons

24/7 News Coverage
Synthetic rings imitate plant energy systems with molecular precision
EU and six member states ratify UN treaty on high seas
India's monsoon lashes Mumbai as rains arrive early



All rights reserved. Copyright Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.