ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The White House on Wednesday reiterated that diplomacy remains the United States’ preferred path in dealing with Iran, adding that military options remain on the table if negotiations fail.
Speaking to reporters, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump is weighing a range of considerations as indirect talks between Washington and Tehran continue.
“There's many reasons and arguments that one could make for a strike against Iran," Leavitt said, adding that Trump "had a very successful operation as Commander-in-Chief with Operation Midnight Hammer…[which] totally obliterated Iran's nuclear facilities,” referring to Washington’s targeting of Iran’s key nuclear facilities in last June during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel.
She noted that Trump has always been "very clear" and that "diplomacy is always his first option and Iran would be very wise to make a deal with President Trump and with this administration.”
Leavitt said Trump remains in close consultation with his national security team and stressed that any decision would be guided by US interests. “He's always thinking about what's in the best interest of the United States of America, of our military, of the American people, and that's how he makes decisions with respect to military action of any kind,” she said.
Meanwhile, Iran’s foreign ministry said a phone call late Wednesday between the head of the UN nuclear watchdog and Iran’s top diplomat focused on maintaining momentum in the ongoing negotiations.