US President Donald Trump said the military strike he had considered against Iran would have been "the biggest attack since World War Two" and "would have been disastrous for them," as he defended his decision to pursue diplomacy instead.
Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said negotiations with Iran would begin on Monday afternoon but declined to set a deadline for reaching an agreement, signalling a renewed push for diplomacy after shelving plans for an imminent military strike.
"We're talking to them in the form of a negotiation. It begins tomorrow afternoon, and we'll see," Trump said, adding that he preferred a negotiated settlement over further conflict. He did not disclose where the talks would take place or who would participate.
Expressing optimism about the talks, Trump said, "I'd love to do that. Save a lot of lives." He added that a diplomatic resolution would also prevent widespread destruction, saying it would "take many, many years to ever build it back."
Trump said Iran "didn't want us to do it," referring to the planned military strike, and added that Saudi Arabia also favoured diplomacy because it believed "a deal is imminent."
When asked whether Iran faced a deadline to reach an agreement, Trump replied, "I'd rather make a deal. I'm not looking to kill people because people die, a lot of people die, and we don't want that."
The comments came a day after Trump said on Truth Social that Iran and several Middle Eastern countries had requested more time to complete a deal that would ensure the "immediate, complete and total" reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and end what he described as Iran's nuclear threat. He urged Tehran to "rapidly make a DEAL."
Trump's latest remarks marked another shift in his approach after repeatedly threatening to escalate the conflict with Iran while continuing to leave room for negotiations. Previous rounds of diplomacy have failed to produce a comprehensive agreement.
The US administration says its objective remains preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran continues to deny.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which around one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes, remains at the centre of the crisis. Iran has largely restricted traffic through the strategic waterway during the conflict, pushing up global energy prices and fuelling inflation concerns.
Oil prices, however, fell more than 4 per cent in early trading on Monday as hopes for renewed diplomacy eased fears of further disruption.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi held separate phone calls with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir to discuss diplomatic efforts, according to Iranian state media.
IRNA also reported that negotiations between Iran and Oman over issues related to the Strait of Hormuz were in their final stages. However, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the discussions concerned a proposed new shipping route and were unrelated to any decision on reopening or closing the strait.
Israel said it would continue to act against Iran's nuclear and missile programmes regardless of the outcome of diplomatic efforts.
Energy Minister Eli Cohen, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet, said Israel maintained close security and intelligence coordination with the US. He warned that Israel would strike if Iran attempted to revive its nuclear programme or expand its ballistic missile capabilities.
Trump and Netanyahu met in Washington last week, where they discussed diplomatic, economic and military options to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions. Iran has consistently denied that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons.
Source: India Today