Trump: Iran Becoming ‘More Serious’ in Talks, Major Strike Decision Still Pending
The US president said Washington remains prepared for a broader military campaign but will continue talks with Tehran as long as diplomatic efforts show progress.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he has not yet decided whether to launch a large-scale military operation against Iran, saying Tehran has become "more and more serious" in ongoing talks with Washington.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump dismissed suggestions that a final decision had already been made.
"No, I haven't," Trump said when asked whether he had approved major strikes against Iran.
"Look, we're talking to them right now. I think they're getting more and more serious as the days go by, for maybe the obvious reason."
Trump said Iran faces a choice between reaching an agreement with the United States or confronting what he described as a "much higher level" of military strikes following nearly two weeks of US attacks.
"We're locked and loaded and ready to go. But we're talking to them, so I think while we're talking, we'll see what comes of it. I believe... They're very serious. They should be," he said.
He added that he had not identified a specific "tipping point" for authorizing broader military action but reiterated that preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon remains his red line.
According to the United States, its military campaign is intended to prevent Iran from closing the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has responded with strikes on US military bases, killing four American service members.
Trump's remarks followed reports that he met senior advisers on Friday to discuss the possibility of launching a large-scale military operation against Iran.
The New York Times reported on the meeting, while Axios quoted Trump a day earlier as saying he was considering a "massive attack" on Iran.
Trump also repeated earlier warnings directed at Russia and China, urging both countries not to provide weapons to Iran.
"If they did, it would be very bad for them — certainly not in their best interests," Trump wrote earlier on his Truth Social platform.
Speaking later to reporters, Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping had assured him during their meeting in Beijing in May that China would not arm Iran "under any circumstances." He added that Russian President Vladimir Putin had made a similar commitment despite Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine.
"I mean, I will tell you that President Xi said he will not partake, and President Putin said the same thing. I think, you know, I trust them," Trump said. "I don't think they'd want to have me disappointed."
Trump also said, "He understands that I do not sell weapons to Ukraine, but to NATO countries. They pay full price, and how those weapons are distributed, I have no idea."
Trump's latest remarks leave open both diplomatic and military paths, signaling that Washington will continue negotiations with Tehran while maintaining readiness for broader military action if talks fail.