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United States President, Donald Trump, will decide on US involvement in Israel-Iran conflict within two weeks, White House said yesterday.
Trump’s press secretary told a room full of reporters at the White House that she had a message from the president: “I have a message directly from the president, and I quote: ‘Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks.”
This is even as Israel Defence Minister, Israel Katz, said that the Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, can no longer be allowed to live after a deadly strike on Israeli hospital that left many wounded.
The Wall Street Journal, WSJ, had reported that Trump had privately approved war plans against Iran, citing people familiar with the deliberations.
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The publication quoted the officials as saying that the president was holding off on issuing a final order for now. “Trump told senior aides he is waiting to see if Tehran would abandon its nuclear programme first,” the Journal reported.
The Journal reports that multiple options are on the table, and said that the president would continue monitoring how the Israelis proceed, according to senior White House official.
Trump has, however, debunked the reports, saying in a post on his Truth Social that “The Wall Street Journal has no idea what my thoughts are concerning Iran.”
Trump, who had indicated that his patience had run out on Iran, said: “Maybe we won’t have to fight,” when asked about joining the fight against Iran.
“I’m not looking to fight, but if it’s a choice between fighting and them having a nuclear weapon, you have to do what you have to do,” he said.
Meanwhile, European ministers have concluded plans to resume nuclear talks with Iranian authorities today at Geneva, while Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin, warned the US against taking military action against Iran, amid speculation over whether Washington would enter the war alongside Israel.
These come on a day Israel Prime Minster, Benjamin Netanyahu, praised the US for “helping a lot with the conflict,” though the US had repeatedly denied involvement.
Speaking on the back of the Iran’s missile attack on Israeli hospital, which reportedly wounded more than 200 people, Katz said that Khamenei cannot be allowed to continue to exist.
He said that he has instructed the Israeli military to intensify strikes against Iranian targets.
“Khamenei openly declares that he wants Israel destroyed. He personally gives the order to fire on hospitals. He considers the destruction of the state of Israel to be a goal. Such a man can no longer be allowed to exist,” he said.
This came as Iran has issued a new threat to any third party thinking about getting involved in its conflict with Israel, threatening an immediate response.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council in a statement yesterday, announced that the “confrontation with the enemy will continue, until the compensation is paid.”
The council said that Iran has plans in place for various scenarios.
Without naming the US or any other country, the council said: “In the event of a third party’s intervention in this aggression, they will be confronted immediately according to a specific plan.”
