US President Donald Trump signaled on Saturday that Washington is keeping open its “military options” on Iran, though still hopes for a negotiated solution to curbing Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
Trump has threatened military action if protesters are killed in anti-government protests. (File photo/AP)Speaking to reporters, Trump declined to say whether he had made a final decision on how to deal with Iran. “I certainly can’t tell you that,” he said, adding that the U.S. has deployed “really big powerful ships heading that way.” At the same time, he emphasized diplomacy, saying, “I hope to negotiate something acceptable.”
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Trump has threatened military action if protesters are killed in anti-government protests that began in late December and peaked on January 8 and 9.
But his latest statement turned to Iran’s nuclear program, which the West believes is aimed at building a nuclear bomb.
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Trump was also asked to respond to comments by Saudi Arabia’s defense minister, who reportedly said that if the US backed off from military strikes, it would only embolden Iran.
The President responded cautiously, citing differing views on the matter. “Some people think it is and some people don’t,” he said.
Emphasizing his preference for diplomacy, Trump added that a deal without nuclear weapons would be the best outcome.
“If you can make a satisfactory negotiated agreement without nuclear weapons, then they should do it,” he said. However, he also expressed uncertainty about Iran’s intentions. “I don’t know that they will, but they are talking to us, talking to us seriously,” he added.
Iranian authorities have acknowledged that thousands have been killed during the protests, putting the death toll at more than 3,000, but say the majority are bystanders killed by members of the security forces or “rioters”.
Billboards and banners went up in the capital, Tehran, to reinforce the authorities’ message. A giant poster shows an American aircraft carrier being destroyed.
