President Donald Trump is sending a firm message to Iran, signaling that every possible strategy is under consideration to stop Tehran from becoming a nuclear-armed nation, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt during a media briefing on Friday.
Her remarks came ahead of planned negotiations between the United States and Iran, which are set to take place on Saturday in Oman.
Leavitt explained that while Trump continues to advocate for a diplomatic path, his top priority remains preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. “But he’s made it very clear to the Iranians and his national security team will as well, that all options are on the table, and Iran has a choice to make. You can agree to President Trump’s demand, or there will be all h— to pay, and that’s how the president feels. He feels very strongly about it,” she stated.
Though Trump maintains that the upcoming discussions in Oman would involve direct engagement, Iranian authorities have insisted that any contact will occur through intermediaries rather than face-to-face.
Iran has also declined Trump’s proposal for direct dialogue, which he had extended in a formal letter addressed to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Earlier this week, Trump emphasized that if military intervention becomes necessary to neutralize Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Israel would take a front-line role. “With Iran, if it requires military, we’re going to have military. Israel will be the leader of that. But nobody leads us, we do what we want to do,” the president said during a press availability in the Oval Office.
When pressed about the timeframe he is giving Iran to come to an agreement, Trump avoided giving a firm deadline. “I can’t really be specific, but when you start talks, you know if they’re going along well or not, and I would say the conclusion would be when I think they’re not going along well,” he explained.
Although Trump has consistently expressed his preference for reaching a diplomatic resolution, he has made clear that military force remains an option should negotiations fail.
{Matzav.com}