Trump: I’m Not Going to Be Much More Patient With Iran
President Trump said Thursday that his patience with Iran is rapidly diminishing, warning that Tehran must agree to a deal regarding its nuclear program or face continued military consequences.
Speaking in an interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News after meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, Trump said Iran’s refusal to reach an agreement is becoming increasingly difficult to tolerate.
“I’m not going to be much more patient. No, I’m not. They should make a deal. Any sane person would make a deal, but they might be crazy,” Trump clarified.
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Trump said the broader military campaign involving Iran is intended not only to support Israel, but also to protect key American allies throughout the Middle East.
He further said that the purpose of the war in Iran is “to help Israel and to help Saudi Arabia and to help Qatar and UAE and, you know, Kuwait and other countries.”
The president also said he discussed Iran directly with Xi during their talks in China, arguing that Beijing likewise has no interest in seeing Tehran acquire nuclear weapons.
“I told [Xi] today, I said, ‘You know, we’re helping you and we’re helping you in another way’ because I don’t think China wants Iran to have a nuclear weapon either. I said, just don’t go crazy. You don’t need them having a nuclear weapon either,” continued Trump.
When Hannity asked whether Xi agreed that Iran must not obtain nuclear weapons, Trump suggested the Chinese leader wanted the conflict resolved.
“Yeah, I think. No, he would like to see it end.”
Trump was also questioned about Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile and whether the United States intended to seize it.
On the issue of retrieving the enriched uranium in Iran, the President said, “We were thinking about doing it early on, and it would take a while, it would take a week and a half, that’s a long time, to be in enemy territory.”
He added that recovering the uranium was not militarily necessary, though he argued critics and media outlets were focused on the issue.
“No, I don’t think it’s necessary, except from a public relations standpoint. I think it’s important for the fake news that we get it. I’m the one that said we’re going to get it, and we’re going to get it. We have our eye on it,” he added.
Trump insisted that Iran’s nuclear infrastructure has already suffered catastrophic damage and claimed any attempt by Tehran to rebuild or relocate materials would immediately trigger additional strikes.
Trump declared that “if we left right now, it would take around 25 years to rebuild, and it can never be like it was. It would take 25 years. I would rather get [the enriched uranium], but we have our eyes on it. You know, we know exactly what’s happening there…if they send a force over there to try, all we’ll do is just hit it with a couple of bombs, and that’s going to be the end of that. We have nine cameras on that site, on those three sites, 24 hours a day. We know exactly what’s happening.”
The interview aired only hours after Trump hinted in a Truth Social post that military operations involving Iran may continue.
The remarks came after Trump’s visit to China and were included in a broader message discussing America’s economic recovery and foreign policy under his administration.
“When President Xi very elegantly referred to the United States as perhaps being a declining nation, he was referring to the tremendous damage we suffered during the four years of Sleepy Joe Biden and the Biden Administration, and on that score, he was 100% correct. Our Country suffered immeasurably with open borders, high taxes, transgender for everybody, men in women’s sports, DEI, horrible trade deals, rampant crime, and so much more!” wrote Trump.
“President Xi was not referring to the incredible rise that the United States has displayed to the world during the 16 spectacular months of the Trump Administration, which includes all-time high stock markets and 401K’s, military victory and thriving relationship in Venezuela, the military decimation of Iran (to be continued!),” he added.
Trump, who has repeatedly vowed that Iran will never be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons, reiterated that position again Tuesday before departing for China.
While speaking with reporters ahead of the trip, Trump warned Tehran that it must accept American terms for ending the war and addressing its nuclear activities.
“They’ll either do the right thing, or we’ll finish the job,” Trump said, rejecting the idea that rising prices in the US pushed him to seek an end to the war.
{Matzav.com}
