WASHINGTON — President Trump has been thrust into the center of the Israel-Iran conflict and each side is pressing him to step in and solve the bloody battle over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions — with opposite demands.
On one side, Iran is begging to return to the negotiating table with the US and stop Israel’s devastating bombardment of the country’s nuclear infrastructure and military forces.
On the other side, Israeli officials are reportedly pleading with Trump to help them finish the job of knocking out Iran’s nuclear program once and for all by providing bunker buster bombs and aircraft necessary to take out the Fordow uranium enrichment facility hidden inside an Iranian mountain, Axios reported.
It’s been a balancing act for the president, according to one source close to the White House, but he has welcomed his “mediator” role for a peaceful resolution to the conflict, which has led so far to the deaths of 24 Israelis, according to the Israeli prime minister’s office. At least 224 Iranians have also died, Tehran’s state media reported.
Trump in a post late Monday evening alarmingly called for the capital of the Islamic Republic to be evacuated, even as US and European officials told the Jerusalem Post the president was preparing a “last chance” offer for Iran to agree to zero uranium enrichment.
“Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life,” he posted on his Truth Social. “Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Monday evening that Trump would be departing the G7 two days earlier than expected — due to “what’s going on in the Middle East.”
He’s set to be at the White House on Tuesday, likely to iron out a deal with Iran — or be in communication about further attacks.
Trump had remained open beforehand to the possibility of diplomatic talks during his remarks at the G7, saying Iran should “immediately” agree to negotiations.
“They’d like to talk, but they should have done that before,” Trump said Monday, noting how he’d given Tehran 60 days to agree to a deal on placing limits on its nuclear program.
“They have to make a deal, and it’s painful for both parties, but I’d say Iran is not winning this war, and they usually talk, and they should talk immediately, before it’s too late,” the president added at the top of his meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the G7 in Kananaskis, Alberta.
But he’s also celebrated Israel’s “excellent” attacks and told ABC News on Sunday that the US could eventually “get involved” in the conflict.
Israel managed to destroy one-third of Iran’s ballistic missile launchers since it began launching large-scale attacks, IDF spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin told The Post on Monday.
The Jewish State has also targeted more than 20 Iranian military and Quds Force command centers, eliminating top officials like the Islamic Revolutionary Guard’s head of intelligence, his deputy and the deputy head of the Quds Force’s intelligence organization.
In the wake of the destruction, Trump sounded more optimistic about Tehran entering into peace talks.
“I think a deal will be signed, or something will happen, but a deal will be signed, and I think Iran is foolish not to sign one,” he told reporters Monday afternoon after speaking to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
While Trump has been publicly trying to bring down the temperature, Israel has remained committed to carrying out attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities and has so far rejected talks.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu didn’t rule out assassinating Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini, telling ABC News on Monday, “It’s not going to escalate the conflict, it’s going to end the conflict.”
Netanyahu threw cold water on the possibility of coming to an agreement, saying,”I mean, they want to continue to have these fake talks in which they lie, they cheat, they string the US along. And, you know, we have very solid Intel on that.”
A second source close to the White House argued: “It doesn’t really appear that Israel is backing down anyway at this point, and I don’t think they take any deal on the table seriously.”
Asked by a reporter at G7 what was the president’s redline for involving American military forces or whether the US could provide bunker buster bombs, Trump declined to answer.
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The president said the US “has always supported Israel” in terms of intelligence in response to another question about Iran.
Netanyahu added in a press conference Monday too that his nation’s war on Iran seeks “three central results: the destruction of the nuclear program, the destruction of the production capacity of ballistic missiles, and the destruction of the axis of terror.”
“We will do what is necessary to achieve those goals,” the Israeli PM added, “and we are coordinated with the United States.”
Israel has received foreign aid packages from the US in the past to supply its Iron Dome, which has since the start of the Iran conflict intercepted most missiles.
The Israel-Iran conflict was one of several pressing issues discussed at the G7 meeting, which included leaders from the UK, EU, Germany, Canada, Japan, Italy and France.
Those officials have been drafting a document that affirms their commitment to preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, Starmer told reporters.
“Under the strong leadership of President Trump, the United States is back to leading the effort to restore peace around the world. President Trump will continue to work towards ensuring Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon,” a White House official said in a statement to The Post.
