Washington, July 21, 2026
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Iran was seeking talks with the United States even as Washington continued its military pressure campaign, warning that the US would strike any Iranian site linked to rebuilding its nuclear programme.
Interacting with reporters at the White House after meeting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Trump dismissed suggestions that Tehran remained unwilling to negotiate.
“They want to desperately meet,” Trump said. “Until they’re ready to meet in a meaningful way, we have no interest.”
He also claimed US military operations had severely weakened Iran’s capabilities.
“If we left right now, it would take Iran 20, 25 years to rebuild,” Trump said. “We’re not finished at all.”
Warning against any renewed nuclear activity, Trump said: “Any site where they’re even thinking about nuclear, we’ll be hitting it very, very powerfully.”
Asked whether Iran had moved nuclear centrifuges to another location, Trump replied: “They may have,” but added that “it doesn’t mean anything unless they have the material.”
“We follow the material. That’s where the action is.”
Trump insisted Iran would not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons.
“They can’t have a nuclear weapon,” he said. “They have no chance of having a nuclear weapon.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who also attended the meeting, said the administration remained prepared to respond forcefully if Iran disrupted commercial shipping.
“Iran’s been given every opportunity to negotiate,” Hegseth said. “If they’re going to shoot at commercial shipping, then we’re going to hit them… ten times harder.”
Trump added that the US naval blockade remained effective.
“Nobody gets through the blockade. It’s like a steel wall.”
The President also played down concerns over renewed Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.
“So far, it hasn’t happened,” he said. “If something like that happens, we’ll just have to take care of business.”
Trump’s remarks came as tensions remain high across the Middle East following months of military confrontation involving Iran, Israel and Iranian-backed armed groups.(Agency)
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