Donald Trump on the Iranian Government: A Big Event Will Happen Soon

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, spoke about Iran on Friday, March 8, at the White House, stating that a significant event will occur soon, and that decisive moments in relation to Iran have arrived, with "interesting days" ahead. He emphasized, "I hope the outcome is peace, but the other way will also solve the problem." The U.S. President, speaking with reporters in the Oval Office, reminded that during his first term, the Iranian government had no money and was "completely bankrupt," but now has a lot of money. He stated, "We are in the final moments. We cannot allow them to acquire nuclear weapons." Trump added that he believes if he had won the 2020 presidential election, he would have reached an agreement with the Iranian government within a month. According to him, the Joe Biden administration refrained from enforcing sanctions, allowing the Islamic Republic, which had no money, to accumulate $300 billion in a short period thanks to its abundant oil wells. Trump noted that an "interesting period in world history" is unfolding regarding Iran and that "something will happen soon. Very, very soon." He continued, "I guess you will be talking about it very soon." He expressed hope for a peace agreement with the Iranian government, stating that he prefers a peace agreement; otherwise, the "other option" will solve the problem. Hours earlier, he mentioned that he had written a letter to the leaders of the Islamic Republic and expressed hope for negotiations. He also warned that the only options for dealing with the Islamic Republic are "reaching an agreement" or "military action." On Friday, March 8, in an interview with Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business, he said, "I said I hope you negotiate because it would be much better for Iran." In this interview, parts of which have been released and the full version is set to air on Sunday, he responded to a question about the type of nuclear agreement he desires, stating that the only options for the Islamic Republic are "military action" or "agreement." He added that he prefers to reach an agreement because "I do not seek to harm Iran. They are very good people. I know many Iranians in this country." The U.S. President distinguished between the leaders of the Islamic Republic and the people of Iran, stating that the leaders are "very evil people" and that his reference to "very good people" does not include the leaders of the Iranian government. Trump said, "The people of Iran are very good people. But they have a harsh regime. They may be shot in the streets..." The U.S. President confirmed that he sent a letter to Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, on Thursday, stating, "I did not tell them that they should negotiate. I said I hope you negotiate because it would be much better for Iran." He noted that "if we have to intervene militarily, it will be very terrible for them" and added, "I think [the leaders of the government] will want to understand the meaning of that letter. The other option is that we have to do something; because we cannot allow them to acquire nuclear weapons." While Trump did not rule out the use of military options against the Islamic Republic, he stated that he prefers to negotiate to reach an agreement. He further stated, "I am not sure everyone will agree with me. But we can reach an agreement that is as good as a military victory." The Persian section of Voice of America has contacted the U.S. government for more information about the content of this letter and will inform its audience as soon as a response is received. Since returning to the White House, Donald Trump has revived the maximum pressure policy and called for a comprehensive agreement with the Islamic Republic. However, Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, has declared any negotiations with the U.S. to be forbidden. Now, as negotiations to revive the nuclear agreement have stalled, concerns about the future of the Islamic Republic's nuclear program have increased. With the resumption of the "maximum pressure" campaign and the increasing isolation of the Islamic Republic in the international economic arena, along with the near-zero oil exports of the Iranian government, efforts are being made to prevent the Islamic Republic from acquiring nuclear weapons. Among the first actions of the U.S. President in the early weeks of his administration were the imposition of new sanctions against shadow fleets and companies that transport crude oil from sanctioned countries using old tankers. Negotiations between Russia and the Iranian government regarding the Islamic Republic's nuclear program. The Trump administration is reviewing all sanctions exemptions related to Iran. Joint air exercises between the U.S. and Israel in the Middle East. The European troika: The Islamic Republic must immediately stop nuclear escalation. Netanyahu: Israel is determined to defeat the Islamic Republic and its proxies. The European Union: The Iranian government must not acquire nuclear weapons.