President Donald Trump has demanded a “complete give-up” by Iran and a “real end” to its nuclear programme, as speculation mounts that the US will join the conflict despite resistance from some senior officials. The Mail has more.
“I’m not looking for a ceasefire, we’re looking at better than a ceasefire,” Trump told reporters as he landed back in the US from a G7 summit in Canada. The President added he was looking for “an end, a real end, not a ceasefire”.
Trump last night refused to sign a joint statement with fellow G7 leaders calling for de-escalation in the conflict before storming out of the summit, saying he had to get back to Washington early “for obvious reasons”.
Speaking from Air Force One, he then furiously denied claims made by French President Emmanuel Macron that he was heading back to work on a ceasefire, calling his counterpart “publicity seeking” and a “nice guy” but one who “doesn’t get it right too often”.
He said that Israel had no intention of stopping its offensive, telling reporters: “The Israelis aren’t slowing up their barrage on Iran. … You’re going to find out over the next two days. You’re going to find out. Nobody’s slowed up so far.”
Meanwhile Israeli media reported that the US is preparing to join an attack on Iran “if President Donald Trump gives the green light”.
An unidentified official told i24 News that “US Central Command thinks it should join, but there are senior officials in the administration who are currently opposing the move”.
Washington is seemingly gearing up for confrontation in the Middle East, with a carrier strike group and three destroyers in the Arabian Sea and the USS Nimitz expected to arrive in the region in the coming days.
Trump earlier called for the “immediate evacuation of Tehran” and branded Iran “foolish” for not signing a deal with the US on its nuclear programme before Israeli strikes began.
It comes as the war between the arch foes enters its fifth day and Israel ramps up attacks aimed at destroying Iran’s contested nuclear work.
Earlier this morning, Israel announced that it had assassinated Iran’s wartime chief of staff, the closest official to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, just days after his predecessor was killed in strikes.
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