President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Iran is seeking a way to stop the war, but he is not prepared to strike a deal with Tehran until the country becomes serious about accepting the proposed terms. "Iran wants to make a deal, and I don't want to make it because the terms aren't good enough yet," Trump told NBC News.
He added that any deal would require Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions forever. Trump said any deal with Iran must be "very solid" before he would consider stopping the joint US-Israel military campaign, and even raised doubts about whether Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is still alive.
Trump Has His Conditions
Since Operation Epic Fury began on Feb. 28, American forces have carried out repeated strikes on military bases across Iran. The President also predicted that Tehran's weapons stockpile could be completely destroyed within a matter of days.
"We've knocked out most of their missiles. We've knocked out most of their drones. We knocked out their manufacturing of missiles and drones, largely. Within two days, it'll be totally decimated," he declared.
"The only power they have, and it's a power that can be closed off relatively quickly, is the power of dropping a mine or shooting a relatively short-range missile. But when we get finished with the shoreline, they're not going to have that power either," the president continued.
Doubts Over Khamenei's Whereabouts
The president also cast doubt on whether Mojtaba Khamenei is still alive, pointing out that the new Iranian leader has largely stayed out of public view. He noted that Khamenei's first message on state television was delivered without him appearing on camera — an unusual move that breaks with the tradition of leaders addressing the public directly.
Those doubts have grown following reports that he may have been severely injured in the US-Israeli strikes that killed his father and other family members. Some claims suggest the attack left him in a coma and even forced doctors to amputate one of his legs.
"So far, nobody's been able to show him," Trump told the outlet.
"I'm hearing that he's not alive, and if he is, he should do something very smart for his country, and that's surrender."
Khamenei was chosen Iran's new supreme leader last Sunday, stepping into the role just days after the opening round of strikes reportedly killed his father.
