[US Iran Airstrike] Trump Says "Everything Is Ahead of Schedule"... Signals Talks with Iran's New Leadership

Phone Interviews with CNBC, The Atlantic, and NBC

Yonhap News Agency

U.S. President Donald Trump has given multiple media interviews, including direct interviews, regarding the Iranian airstrike operation "Epic Fury," stating that "everything is ahead of schedule."

According to CNBC on March 1 (local time), President Trump said in a phone interview with a CNBC reporter, "The operation is going very well," making this remark. This is interpreted to mean that the operation's results, such as the elimination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and other key Iranian leadership figures through concentrated U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran that began on February 28, have materialized earlier than expected.

President Trump described Iran as "a very violent regime. One of the most violent regimes in history," and added, "We are carrying out our mission not only for ourselves but also for the world."

Regarding the progress of the operation, he stated, "It is proceeding in a very positive direction," and told CNBC that any potential off-ramp to end the operation depends on various factors.

In an interview with Fox News, President Trump also said, "The situation is developing rapidly," and, "No one will believe the success we are achieving. In a single strike, 48 (Iranian) leaders have disappeared."

The U.S. weekly magazine The Atlantic also reported that President Trump suggested he would engage in dialogue with Iran's new leadership. In a phone interview with The Atlantic, President Trump said, "They want to talk, and I agreed to the talks," adding, "I will talk with them."

In another interview with NBC, President Trump commented on the deaths of three U.S. soldiers during this operation, saying, "In this kind of operation, casualties are to be expected. The casualties were anticipated," and added, "Ultimately, this operation will produce very good results for the world."

President Trump also spoke about the expected outcome of the operation, stating, "The first goal is to eliminate them, to wipe out the entire group composed of murderers and thugs," indicating that the ousting of the 'Iranian leadership' is one of the main objectives.

He further noted, "We could do a short-term version or a long-term version," expressing that both short-term and long-term military scenarios remain open.

When asked whether the U.S. would halt attacks and continue negotiations for a diplomatic solution, President Trump replied, "I don't know," and said that ceasing attacks could be possible if Iran meets U.S. demands, but "so far, they have not."

Meanwhile, the White House announced that President Trump spoke by phone with the leaders of Israel, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on this day. President Trump is scheduled to return to the White House in Washington, D.C., later this afternoon.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.