US President Donald Trump expressed cautious optimism about the possibility of reaching a deal with Iran, even after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that any US attack could spark a regional conflict.
Responding to Khamenei’s warning, Trump told reporters, “Of course he is going to say that,” adding, “hopefully we’ll make a deal. If we don’t, then we’ll see whether he was right.”
The comments come amid heightened tensions following Iran’s crackdown on anti-government protests last month, which prompted Trump to threaten military action and dispatch an aircraft carrier group to the Middle East.
On Sunday, Ayatollah Khamenei described the protests as an attempted “coup” and cautioned that a US attack could escalate into a wider conflict.
“The Americans should know that if they start a war, this time it will be a regional war,” he said, telling Iranians they “should not be scared” of Trump’s rhetoric.
Asked about the Iranian leader’s warning, Trump told reporters on Sunday: “Of course he is going to say that.
“Hopefully we’ll make a deal. If we don’t make a deal, then we’ll find out whether or not he was right,” he said.
The demonstrations in Iran began as an expression of discontent at the high cost of living, but grew into a mass anti-government movement that the country’s leaders have described as “riots” stoked by the United States and Israel.
As tensions heightened between Iran and the US, Tehran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday said he was concerned about “miscalculations” but said he believed Trump was “wise enough to make the correct decision”.
He said Iran has lost trust in the United States as a negotiating partner, adding that some countries in the region were acting as intermediaries to rebuild trust.
“So I see the possibility of another talk if the US negotiation team follows what President Trump said: to come to a fair and equitable deal to ensure that there is no nuclear weapons,” he said in an interview with CNN.
Source: Dunya News
