President Donald Trump warned Wednesday that Israel would “be the leader” of any potential military action against Iran if it refuses to end its nuclear weapons program. Speaking ahead of upcoming U.S.-Iran talks in Oman, Trump said diplomacy remains an option, but military force is also on the table. “If it requires military, we’re going to have military,” he said, adding that “nobody leads us,” but Israel would be central to any strike.
The comments come as the U.S. imposed new sanctions on Iranian nuclear entities and amid rising concern that Tehran is nearing nuclear capability. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, meanwhile, reiterated that Iran is not pursuing a bomb and even welcomed potential U.S. investment if a deal is reached. Trump, who withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018, expressed skepticism about the ongoing negotiations, saying they aren’t going well, but noted, “I want Iran to be great — just without nukes.”
