Media: Trump claims Iranian authorities requesting nuclear negotiations

US President Donald Trump has stated that Iranian officials are contacting him to seek a nuclear agreement with Tehran.

During a phone interview with NBC News this morning, Trump was asked about the prospects for negotiations with Iran regarding its nuclear programme.

“They missed the opportunity to make a deal. Now, they may have another opportunity. We’ll see," he replied.

When questioned why Iran might now be interested in striking a deal following the Israeli strikes, Trump suggested that Iranian officials have been reaching out to him.

“They're calling me to speak," Trump said. When pressed about who was contacting him, he responded, “The same people we worked with the last time ... Many of them are dead now.” Trump also expressed approval of Israel’s military actions, noting, “They had the finest equipment in the world, which is American equipment.” 

The US leader also emphasised that Israel’s actions are aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons—something he believes would be “great for the market” and would help reduce global risks. 

Trump said that he believed, in the long run, it would be great for the market because Iran would not have nuclear weapons. He added that this would be a wonderful development for the market and should have the most positive effect.

He also noted that the elimination of Iran’s nuclear capabilities would remove a threat to humanity and help create a more stable environment for financial markets. Trump confirmed he had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the day before and planned to speak with him again later that day. He added that his team had been aware of Israel’s plans to carry out a strike on Iran.

When asked whether Washington had received prior notice, Trump replied that it hadn’t been a warning; they had simply known what was going on. He described the Israeli operation as very successful, to say the least.

On June 13, the military operation launched by Israel against key components of Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure has escalated to a much harsher level. According to Israeli statements, the objective remains the complete elimination of the Islamic Republic’s capability to develop nuclear weapons.

The Israeli Air Force has struck more than a hundred targets, deploying approximately 200 combat aircraft and over 330 precision-guided munitions, according to official figures. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) emphasises that this is a large-scale, coordinated operation targeting both military facilities and the nuclear programme infrastructure across the entire territory of Iran.

By Naila Huseynova