WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Saturday his administration was “moving forward” and that he will impose additional sanctions against Iran in an effort to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
He added that military action was still “a possibility,” while also saying that he hoped “Iran is smart and cares about its people.”
“We are putting additional sanctions on Iran,” Trump said. “In some cases we are going slowly, but in other cases we are moving rapidly.”
Trump, who was speaking to reporters at the White House, made his comments after recently calling off military actions against Iran to retaliate for the downing of a US military drone.
But Trump also indicated he was open to reversing the escalation, adding he was willing to quickly reach a deal with Iran that he said would bolster the country’s flagging economy.
He said the Islamic republic could be a “wealthy” country if it renounced nuclear weapons, amid soaring tensions between the two nations.
“We’re not going to have Iran have a nuclear weapon,” Trump told reporters
The president said he would be traveling to the Camp David presidential retreat to talk about Iran, saying he wanted to “start over” with Iran.
Trump last year withdrew the United States from an international accord designed to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions in exchange for sanctions relief.
Tensions have been on the rise ever since then, as Trump reinstated sanctions designed to choke off Iranian oil sales and cripple its economy in an effort to force new nuclear negotiations.
“Everyone was saying I’m a war-monger, and now they say I’m a dove,” Trump said on Saturday as he was peppered with questions about the Iran drama.
“I think I am neither, if you want to know the truth. I’m a man with common sense, and that’s what we need in this country, is common sense.”
Trump insisted it is up to the Iranian leadership how the current crisis plays out.
“If the leadership of Iran behaves badly, then it’s going to be a very, very bad day for them,” he said.
