President Trump confirmed to reporters on Wednesday that he cautioned Israel against an attack on Iran, opting instead to encourage negotiations between the two countries regarding Iran’s nuclear program.
When asked if he warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against a military action that could disrupt negotiation talks, Trump said he did not consider it a warning, but he did caution against a strike.
“I’d like to be honest. Yes I did,” Trump said. “It’s not a warning. I said I don’t think it’s appropriate.”
The comments come after reports earlier this week that Netanyahu intended to conduct a military strike against Iran ahead of planned U.S. peace talks with Omani and Iranian officials. Trump said he was encouraging further talks in the hopes of working out a deal that would curtail Iran’s development of nuclear weapons without the use of military force.
“We’re having very good discussions with them and I said I don’t think it’s appropriate right now,” Trump said.
Trump said negotiations could settle the issue with a “strong document” that would allow for inspections rather than strikes on nuclear facilities that would result in casualties.
“We can go in with inspectors, we can take whatever we want, we can blow up whatever we want, but nobody getting killed, we can blow up a lab but nobody’s going to be in the lab as opposed to everybody being in the lab and blowing it up, right? Two ways of doing it.” Trump said.
Trump also stated the situation was ongoing and subject to change, but that he currently wanted to continue with a diplomatic approach.
“I told him this would be inappropriate to do right now because we’re very close to a solution. Now that could change at any moment. It could change with a phone call. But right now I think they want to make a deal and if we can make a deal we can save a lot of lives,” Trump said.