Trump Promises That U.S. Won't Be 'Dragged In' To Conflict With Iran: 'I’ll Be Leading The Pack'

In a Time Magazine interview, which was published on Friday, President Donald Trump asserted that the United States will not be “dragged in” to any war with Iran, while emphasizing his commitment to preventing the Iranian regime from acquiring nuclear weapons.

While Trump expressed little concern over the prospect of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launching an attack on Tehran without his approval, he did not rule out the potential for some military intervention in the future — but only if absolutely necessary.

“He may go into a war. But we’re not getting dragged in,” Trump said about Netanyahu. “I may go in very willingly if we can’t get a deal. If we don’t make a deal, I’ll be leading the pack.”

Trump also refuted claims that he had “stopped” Netanyahu from striking Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities. However, he did note: “I didn’t make it comfortable for them, because I believe a deal can be achieved without resorting to military action.”

“I hope we can. It’s possible we’ll have to attack because Iran will not have a nuclear weapon,” the president said. “But I didn’t make it comfortable for them, but I didn’t say no. Ultimately I was going to leave that choice to them, but I said I would much prefer a deal than bombs being dropped.”

Netanyahu stated in a video address last week that: “I am committed to preventing Iran from attaining nuclear weapons … I won’t give on this, I won’t let up on this, and I won’t withdraw from this — not a millimeter.”

The Israeli PM also further asserted that “Iran would have had a nuclear weapon ten years ago” if it weren’t for his previous actions.

Trump believes “all options are on the table” to prevent Iran from obtaining the nuclear weapons, including strikes that cripple its attempts to continue uranium enrichment and stockpile missiles, according to U.S. national security advisor Mike Waltz, who made the statement last month on ABC News‘ “This Week” program.

However, Tehran’s uranium enrichment is getting close to weapons-grade levels, according to a February report by the UN’s nuclear watchdog.

“We cannot have a world with the ayatollahs with their finger on the nuclear button,” Waltz told co-host Martha Raddatz on March 16^th. “We cannot have a situation that would result in an arms race across the Middle East in terms of nuclear proliferation. And President Trump is determined, one way or another.”

Indirect discussions concerning Tehran’s nuclear program have been taking place between U.S. and Iranian diplomats throughout the Middle East and Europe. This weekend, more discussions are scheduled in Oman.

Following a brief hint at a compromise that would include “verification” of enrichment levels to prevent Tehran from generating weapons-grade material, Steve Witkoff, the envoy for the Middle East who has overseen the negotiations, has also supported the end of Iran’s nuclear program.

“The conversation with the Iranians will be much about two critical points: One, enrichment, as you mentioned — they do not need to enrich past 3.67%,” Witkoff said last week. “In some circumstances, they’re at 60%. In other circumstances, 20%.”

“That cannot be and you do not need to run, as they claim, a ‘civil nuclear program’ where you’re enriching past 3.67%, so this is going to be much about verification on the enrichment program,” he added.

Through mediators, the U.S. and Iran have been able to communicate from different rooms at previous discussions in Oman and Rome.

According to the Times of Israel, Michael Anton, the head of policy planning for the State Department, is anticipated to chair the third round of negotiations on Saturday.

In his TIME Magazine interview, Trump also blasted former President Joe Biden for easing sanctions on Iran, which allowed terrorist proxies to amass armaments.

“There was no money for Hamas. There was no money for Hezbollah. There was no money. Iran was broke under Trump, and you know that, he knows that, broke,” the GOP president continued. “When Biden came and he took off all the sanctions, he let China and everybody else buy all the oil, Iran developed $300 billion in cash over a four-year period,” he added.

“They started funding terror again, including Hamas. Hamas was out of business. Hezbollah was out of business. Iran had no money under me. I blame the Biden administration, because they allowed Iran to get back into the game without working a deal.”

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