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U.S. President Donald Trump says he still hopes to reach an agreement with Iran and convince Tehran to abandon its nuclear program.
The New York Post reports this based on comments journalists claim to have received during an interview aboard Air Force One on Friday.
Trump stated that he is counting on a “deal” with Iran to ensure it remains nuclear-free.
“I prefer this option rather than bombing it to hell… They don’t want to die. Nobody wants to die,” the newspaper quotes Trump as saying.
“If we reach an agreement, Israel won’t bomb them,” he added.
However, the president did not disclose how he plans to negotiate with Tehran.
“I wouldn’t want to say what I’m going to tell them. That wouldn’t be very smart… I might say what I need to say to them in future negotiations, and I hope they decide not to do what they are currently considering.”
The New York Post also claims that during this conversation, Trump acknowledged his phone call with Putin but does not provide a direct quote confirming that the call has already taken place.
As is known, Trump seeks to revive his “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons. He stated that he has instructed his advisors to “destroy Iran” if an assassination attempt against him were successful.
Earlier this year, French President Emmanuel Macron warned that Iran’s nuclear program is approaching the point of no return.
Read also: Trump Spoke on the Phone with Putin About the War in Ukraine
