On June 13 (local time), President Donald Trump suggested that Israel's attack on Iran could potentially help nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran, according to the U.S. online media outlet Axios.
When asked whether Israel's attack on Iran had jeopardized the Iran nuclear negotiations, President Trump replied, "I don't think so. It may actually be the opposite."
He added, "Perhaps now they (Iran) will negotiate seriously," and continued, "I gave Iran 60 days, and today is the 61st day. They need to reach an agreement."
President Trump also urged that Iran should reach an agreement with the United States before suffering greater damage. He said, "I was not able to reach an agreement with them within 60 days," and added, "Perhaps now it will happen."
President Trump stated that after Israel's large-scale attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, it is unclear whether Iran still has nuclear programs (nuclear facilities) remaining.
In a phone interview with Reuters, President Trump said, "(Whether Iran still has a nuclear program after the airstrike) no one can know," and added, "The damage (to Iran from the attack) was very destructive."
Reuters also reported that he said he was not concerned about a 'regional war' (an escalation into a Middle East war) resulting from Israel's attack.
Additionally, President Trump said he could not be certain whether the nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran, which were scheduled to resume in Oman on June 15, would proceed as planned. However, he emphasized that the possibility for Iran to reach an agreement with the United States remains open at any time.
In a phone interview with NBC News on the same day, he stated, "They (Iran) missed their chance to make a deal," but added, "There may be another opportunity now. Let's see." He also claimed, "They (Iran) are calling me, trying to talk."
In an interview with CNN, President Trump described Israel's attack on Iran as "very successful."
When asked about Secretary of State Marco Rubio's statement the previous day that the United States was not involved in Israel's attack, President Trump said, "Of course, we clearly support Israel," reaffirming unwavering support for Israel, America's key ally in the Middle East.
CNN reported that President Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu both before and after Israel launched its attack on Iran on June 12 (U.S. time), as well as on June 13.
U.S. media outlets speculated that Prime Minister Netanyahu, in his conversation with President Trump, likely requested active U.S. military support for Israel amid the confrontation with Iran.
On the same day, President Trump also spoke by phone with Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
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