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U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that Iran is showing its strongest commitment yet in negotiations with the United States, while reiterating in multiple settings that Tehran "cannot have a nuclear weapon" and that he has not decided whether to launch major new military strikes.
Speaking at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, Trump said, "They are talking to us right now. They'd love to make a deal. I don't think they're ready to. I don't think it's time yet, but I'm willing to listen. But they cannot have a nuclear weapon. We don't want to see Washington, D.C, or any of our cities, or Israel, or frankly the Middle East, destroyed with a nuclear weapons, because I know the power of nuclear weapons. I see it. I get to see it. We're not going to let that happen. So this is all about we will not let them have a nuclear weapon. And they would use it. They would use if they had it."
At the same event, Trump claimed the U.S. military had destroyed "250 jets" and "159 boats" belonging to Iran, saying Iran's navy and air force were "gone" and that Iran has "very few drones left, despite what you see."
Separately, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said: "We're talking to them right now. I think they're getting more and more serious as the days go by, for maybe the obvious reason ... I think they're being serious. I think they are being by far the most serious that we've seen them. But that doesn't mean we get there. We'll see what happens."
Asked whether he had decided to launch major strikes on Iran, Trump said: "No, I haven't."
He added: "We can take that to a much higher level if we want to, we're prepared to do that... We're locked and loaded and ready to go. There are two ways. I consider that the smarter way, but the other is probably the easier way," referring to diplomacy versus military action.
Asked whether Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were involved in the talks, Trump said "everybody" is involved, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
"It's a big deal. They cannot have a nuclear weapon," he said.
Trump also said he is not rushing toward a resolution despite upcoming U.S. midterm elections, where Republican strategists have expressed concern the unpopular war could cost the party seats in Congress.
"Despite what everyone says about the election, I'm not in a hurry. We have to do it right," Trump said.
Trump also said he had "not made a decision on major strikes" against Iran, after previously telling Axios he was "considering a massive attack."
He appeared to soften that earlier framing, saying: "No, I haven't. We're talking to them right now. I think they're getting more and more serious as the days go by ... I consider that the smarter way, but the other's probably the easier way, doing what we're doing, and we can take that to a much higher level if we want to. We're prepared to do that, as you know. We're locked and loaded."
Asked in the Oval Office whether destroying civilian power plants and bridges, something Trump has repeatedly threatened to do in Iran, would constitute a war crime, Trump declined to answer directly.
A reporter asked: "You're talking about blowing up civilian power plants and bridges. Much of the civilized world would consider that a war crime. Do you?" Trump replied: "Uh, I won't respond to that question. Who are you with?" When the reporter identified themselves as being with the New York Times, Trump said: "Figured so. Failing New York Times."
The U.S. has carried out a series of strikes across Iran since last week in response to what it says are Iranian attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran has responded with attacks targeting facilities and bases it says are used by the U.S. military in several countries across the region.
The exchange of attacks has continued despite the Pakistan-brokered framework agreement signed by the U.S. and Iran in June, aimed at ending the war that began in February and paving the way for a lasting peace deal.
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