Florida [US], February 2: US President Donald Trump on Sunday said he was "hopeful" that Iran would "make a deal" with Washington, hours after Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that any conflict initiated by the United States would turn into a "regional war".
Trump added that if the deal does not go through, it would become clear whether Khamenei's warning was correct.
Speaking to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, Trump said the US had deployed significant military assets in the region but preferred a diplomatic outcome amid escalating tensions between the two countries.
"We have the biggest, most powerful ships in the world over there, very close, and in a couple of days, hopefully, we'll make a deal. If we don't make a deal, then we'll find out whether or not he was right," Trump said.
Trump's remarks came in response to a series of strong statements by Iran's Supreme Leader in a series of posts on X, who warned Washington against military action, stating that Washington should understand that any war would not remain limited.
"The Americans should know if they start a war, this time it will be a regional war," Khamenei's post read, adding that Iran would not be intimidated by threats involving warships or aircraft.
"That Americans sometimes talk about war - saying we will come with warships and aircraft - is nothing new. The Iranian nation is not affected by such talk. They shouldn't try to intimidate the Iranian nation with such things," his post added.
Khamenei said Iran does not seek conflict but would respond forcefully to any aggression and further accused the United States of attempting to dominate Iran due to its strategic resources and location.
"We are not the initiators of war. We do not seek to oppress anyone. We do not seek to attack any country. However, anyone who seeks to attack or cause harm will face a decisive blow from the Iranian nation," another post read.
"What is the issue between the United States and Iran? The issue can be summed up in two words: The United States wants to devour Iran; the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic prevent this," another post added.
Referring to historical US influence in Iran, the Supreme Leader claimed Washington was trying to regain control after losing its grip decades ago.
"Iran possesses numerous attractions: Its oil, gas, rich minerals, and geographic location are attractive. The US wants to seize control of this country just as they controlled it before."
"For more than 30 years, the Americans were present in Iran. Iran's resources, oil, politics, and security were in their hands. Everything was in their hands. Now that their grip has been broken, they're trying to find a way back. The Iranian nation stands firm, preventing it," Khamenei stated in another post.
Khamenei asserted that Iran would continue to resist US pressure, stating that the country "stands firm and will continue to stand firm" against what he described as American "mischief and harassment".
Earlier on Saturday, Trump, aboard Air Force One, stated that the US had deployed very powerful naval assets in the region, near Iran, but he hoped that negotiations would lead to an acceptable outcome.
"We do have very big, powerful ships heading in that direction, as you know. But I hope they negotiate something that's acceptable," Trump said.
Meanwhile, the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, in a post on X, said that preparations for negotiations with the US are moving forward, dismissing what he described as media-driven hype.
"Contrary to the hype of the contrived media war, structural arrangements for negotiations are progressing," Larijani said in his post.
However, the Secretary did not mention any details on the framework of the matter.
Currently, a "massive Armada", led by the USS Abraham Lincoln, is heading towards Iran as tensions escalate between the two sides.
On Friday, the US President indicated that Iran was prepared to enter negotiations to avert potential American military action, even as Tehran maintained that talks cannot proceed under pressure.
"They do want to make a deal," Trump stated, addressing reporters at the White House.
He also disclosed that a deadline had been set for Iran to begin discussions on nuclear weapons, though he did not specify the timeframe.
"Hopefully, we'll make a deal. If we don't make a deal, we'll see what happens," Trump added, referencing the deployment of a US naval carrier group near Iran.
Source: Times of Oman
