US President Donald Trump said he would like to reach a deal with Iran over the republic's nuclear program, but the time allotted for negotiations may soon be up.
“There are two approaches to Iran – military and making a deal. I would prefer a deal. We can make a deal that will be as good as a military victory. But the time for that is now approaching. “One way or another, something has to happen,“ he said in an interview with Fox News.
Trump added that in a letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, he expressed hope that he wanted to negotiate. The US president also claimed that the deal would benefit both Washington and Tehran.
Ali Khamenei had earlier said that Iran would not negotiate with the United States because Washington only cared about its own interests. Commenting on Trump's letter, he also noted that “some unscrupulous governments negotiate not to solve problems but to impose their own interests”.