In an interview with Fox Business Network, President Donald Trump revealed on Friday that he has taken direct diplomatic action regarding Iran's nuclear ambitions by sending a letter to its leadership. He expressed hope this move would prompt them to rejoin talks on peacefully dismantling their nuclear program through a deal.
"I said I hope you're going to negotiate, because it's going to be a lot better for Iran," Trump said in the interview with Fox Business Network broadcast Friday. "I think they want to get that letter. The other alternative is we have to do something because you can't let another nuclear weapon."
Although Trump disclosed a direct communication channel with Iran's leadership, the White House has so far refused to clarify whether it was addressed to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who has so far refused to re-enter talks on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal, which has all but collapsed in recent years after both the US and the Iran refused to abide by its provisions.
"There are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal," Trump said. "I would prefer to make a deal, because I'm not looking to hurt Iran. They're great people."
Iran blames Trump for voiding the deal when he unilaterally left it in his first term in 2018 and restored crippling US sanctions that left other nations no choice by to isolate Iran for fear of American punitive action.
The president's comments come amid ongoing international concerns about Iran's nuclear program and regional tensions in the Middle East. While the exact contents of the letter were not disclosed during the interview, the direct communication with Iran's Supreme Leader comes days after he said he would apply the same "Maximum Pressure" policy he had adopted in his first term toward Tehran.
Iran's nuclear infrastructure is scattered throughout the vast country. At the opening of his meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House in January, Trump was asked by Israel Hayom the following: "Now that Iran is at its weakest, isn't it time to take military action against its nuclear program?" Trump disputed the premise of the question. "You say Iran is weak, but it's very strong. Biden strengthened it by transferring billions to them. We'll impose sanctions on it," the president replied. Israel Hayom has recently published a lengthy article of what an Israeli strike on Iran could look like.
The latest report from the International Atomic Energy Agency determined that, "if Iran decides to produce weapons-grade uranium (90% purity) instead of 60% (currently), it could do so quickly... (and reach) enough stockpile to produce four to five nuclear weapons within about one month," as summarized by the Institute for Science and International Security based on the IAEA findings.
