Trump says he tried to save Iran from 'humiliation and death'
Donald Trump (Photo: FRANCIS CHUNG/ EPA)

US President Donald Trump said in an interview with Reuters that he and his team were aware of Israel's plan to attack Iran and that he warned Tehran about the need to make a deal on its nuclear program.

"We knew everything, and I was trying to save Iran from humiliation and death. I tried very hard to save them because I would have really liked to see a deal," Trump said.

The US president recalled that he gave Iran 60 days to reach a deal, "and today is 61."

Trump said it was unclear whether Iran still had a nuclear program after the Israeli strikes.

"Nobody knows. It was a very devastating blow," the US president said.

However, he said the United States is still planning nuclear talks with Iran on Sunday, June 15, but he is not sure they will happen. He added that it is "not too late" for Iran to make a deal.

"They [the talks] are not dead. We have a meeting with them on Sunday. I'm not sure right now if that meeting will happen, but we have a meeting with them on Sunday," Trump said.

The US President said he was not concerned about the outbreak of a regional war as a result of Israeli strikes.

When asked whether the US would support Israel against Iranian counterattacks, Trump replied in the affirmative.

"We've been very close to Israel. We're their number one ally, absolutely," the US president assured.

  • On the night of June 13, Israel launched Operation Eastern Lion . The IDF carried out a "preemptive strike" on Iran's nuclear program facilities to prevent Tehran from obtaining weapons of mass destruction.
  • Immediately after the strikes, the US disavowed the operation, assuring that it was not participating .
  • It later emerged that Trump had approved Israel's attack on Iran and was only pretending to oppose it. In this way, the United States administration wanted to mislead Iran and prevent it from hiding people involved in the development of nuclear weapons.