As the Israel-Iran conflict entered its seventh day on Thursday, US President Donald Trump declined to reveal whether the United States would join Israel’s military campaign targeting Iranian nuclear sites.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump said, “I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do.”
Later, President Trump said Iranian officials had expressed interest in visiting Washington for talks, adding, “We may do that.” However, he noted, “It’s a little late” for such discussions.
Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of Germany, France, and Britain are set to meet their Iranian counterpart in Geneva on Friday for nuclear talks.
A German diplomatic source told Reuters the discussions aim to secure firm assurances from Iran that its nuclear programme will remain strictly civilian.
While diplomatic efforts were underway, many Tehran residents sought safety on Wednesday, crowding highways in an attempt to flee the capital amid intensified Israeli airstrikes.
According to The Wall Street Journal, President Trump informed senior aides that he had approved attack plans on Iran but was delaying the final order to see whether Tehran would abandon its nuclear programme.
When asked whether he believed the Iranian government could collapse due to Israel’s military campaign, Trump responded, “Sure, anything could happen.”
Referring to the possible destruction of Iran’s Fordow nuclear enrichment facility, Trump said, “We’re the only ones that have the capability to do it. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to do it — at all.”
Iran ‘will not surrender’ to US pressure: Khamenei
Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, criticised US President Donald Trump in a televised speech on Wednesday, his first appearance since Friday.
“The Americans should know that any US military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage,” Khamenei warned. “The Iranian nation will not surrender,” he added.
Meanwhile, Israel said its air force had destroyed Iran’s police headquarters in its latest round of bombings.
The Israeli military also reported that air raid sirens were activated in northern Israel just before 2 a.m. local time on Thursday (23:00 GMT Wednesday). It said a drone launched from Iran was intercepted, followed by the downing of another drone in the Jordan Valley minutes later.
With Reuters inputs
