US President Donald Trump said Washington was not negotiating with Iran and that “something one way or the other” would happen “fairly soon”.
“No, I think we’re not negotiating,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday upon returning from a rally in South Carolina.
“We are going to have something one way or the other that’ll happen fairly soon.”
“Most people seem to think it’s after the election, and we’re going to see what happens,” he added, reports Anadolu.
Earlier, speaking at the rally, Trump said the US could end its war with Iran immediately but wanted to ensure the outcome would last.
“It’ll end very soon. We could leave now, but we want to make sure it lasts for a long time,” he said.
Trump claimed that the US had defeated Iran militarily and financially, insisting that Tehran would “never have a nuclear weapon.”
His remarks came after The New York Times reported that the US and Israeli militaries had drawn up plans for renewed strikes on Iran after the US midterm elections, citing US officials and others briefed on the discussions.
However, the report said it remained uncertain whether Trump would approve the strikes, noting that he had repeatedly vetoed plans to resume major combat operations this year.
A White House official told the newspaper that the administration did not comment on military plans “that may or may not exist.”
The US and Israel launched a war against Iran on 28 February, prompting Tehran to retaliate with missile and drone attacks across the region and effectively close the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy supplies.
A memorandum of understanding signed by the US and Iran in June following mediation by Pakistan and Qatar has since stalled amid disagreements, including over navigation through the strait.
