President Trump said Monday the outcome of his military operation against Iran will be “amazing” and pushed back against claims that Israel talked him into the war.
Mr. Trump, writing on social media, said the October 2023 terror attack on Israel by Iran-backed Palestinian militants in Hamas colored his view of Tehran’s regime.
But he denied that Israel, led by Prime Minister and Trump ally Benjamin Netanyahu, cajoled him into the military strikes that began Feb. 28.
“Israel never talked me into the war with Iran, the results of Oct. 7th, added to my lifelong opinion that IRAN CAN NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON, did,” Mr. Trump said in a Truth Social post.
More than once, Mr. Trump has responded to critics, including those within his MAGA base, who say Israel dragged the U.S. into the Middle East conflict.
“I think [the Iranians] were going to attack first, and I didn’t want that to happen,” the president said on March 3. “So if anything, I might have forced Israel’s hand. But Israel was ready, and we were ready.”
Mr. Trump outlined his views while Pakistani mediators try to set up another round of peace talks between the U.S. and Iran.
They are racing against a Tuesday deadline to extend a two-week ceasefire struck on April 7.
Mr. Trump says Iran wants to make a peace deal, but Iran has not said if it will agree to more talks.
Tensions ratcheted up in the region over the weekend. U.S. forces fired on an Iranian ship that tried to defy Mr. Trump’s blockade of maritime traffic to and from Iranian ports.
Iranian officials also clamped down on oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway, despite signaling they planned to reopen the strait.
The prices of Brent crude oil, an international benchmark, rose amid the tensions to more than $90 per barrel. Trading on Wall Street was flat on Monday as investors tried to make sense of the situation.
Mr. Trump on Monday said it will work out fine, pointing to progress in dealing with the interim government in Venezuela after he raided Caracas in January to capture strongman President Nicolas Maduro.
“Just like the results in Venezuela, which the media doesn’t like talking about, the results in Iran will be amazing – And if Iran’s new leaders (Regime Change!) are smart, Iran can have a great and prosperous future!” Mr. Trump said.
