Donald Trump Says He is Open to Direct Talks with Iran
Trump made the remarks while speaking to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House before departing for a midterm campaign rally in Nebraska.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — U.S. President Donald Trump told Kurdistan24 Washington Bureau Chief Rahim Rashidi on Monday that he is “always” open to direct talks with Iran, as tensions between Washington and Tehran remain high.
Trump made the remarks while speaking to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House before departing for a midterm campaign rally in Nebraska.
Trump also said he personally believes Iran was responsible for last week’s attempted hijacking and attack on Flydubai Flight FZ1073, although he did not provide specific evidence to support his assessment.
The September 30 incident involved the Omani co-pilot of the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight allegedly attacking the captain and attempting to take control of the aircraft. Passengers and crew intervened, and the plane eventually made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. Investigators have continued to examine the suspect’s background and possible motive.
Trump’s assessment differs from preliminary findings and statements from other officials. Israeli investigators have indicated that the suspect probably acted alone, while Vice President JD Vance has said there is currently no evidence linking Iran to the incident.
Trump also confirmed that a specific “threat” prompted the United States to relocate its B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom.
“We know who made the threat,” Trump said, explaining that Washington moved the aircraft rather than “tempting the enemy,” adding that they were moved “not very far.”
The U.S. withdrawal of the bombers from Fairford has come amid a security investigation involving suspected threats against the base. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, however, said he would not directly link the bomber relocation to the security incident.