If an agreement with Iran to limit its nuclear program proves elusive, the United States could spearhead military action against it, President Trump said in an interview published on Friday.
Mr. Trump’s comments, in an interview with Time magazine marking his first three months in office, came as American and Iranian officials were set to meet for the third consecutive Saturday in an effort to reach an agreement that would prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
After being asked if he was worried that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel might drag him into a war with Iran, Mr. Trump said: “I may go in very willingly if we can’t get a deal. If we don’t make a deal, I’ll be leading the pack.”
Mr. Trump has said he thought the talks between the United States and Iran were going well, but officials on both sides have not achieved a breakthrough.
Mr. Netanyahu has expressed openness to diplomacy if it leads to the full dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program — a demand that Iranian officials have rejected. Some Israeli officials have expressed concerns that the United States could agree to a deal that leaves some of Iran’s nuclear program in place.
Mr. Netanyahu has avoided a public confrontation with Mr. Trump, but has issued a number of public statements saying Israel will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.
Last week, The New York Times reported that Israel had planned an attack on Iranian nuclear sites, but was held back by Mr. Trump, who expressed support for attempting to negotiate an agreement with Iran first. Israeli officials have suggested that U.S. support for such strikes was crucial, both to ensure successful execution and to protect Israel against an Iranian response.
Mr. Trump said he did not stop Israel from attacking Iran, but “didn’t make it comfortable for them.”
“Ultimately I was going to leave that choice to them, but I said I would much prefer a deal than bombs being dropped,” he said.
Mr. Trump also said he was open to meeting with Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, or its president, Masoud Pezeshkian.
