President Donald Trump announced that Iran is seeking a direct meeting with his administration and is even prepared to send a delegation to the White House. This development emerged amid rising tensions in the Middle East, particularly as Israel continues to carry out strikes on Iranian military and nuclear facilities. The Israeli government, unable to penetrate Iran’s heavily fortified Fordow Nuclear Enrichment Center, has been urging the United States to launch a strike on the site. Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter emphasized the need to eliminate Fordow during a Fox News interview, prompting reporters to question Trump about whether this was a precondition for talks with Iran. Trump dismissed the idea as just a topic of discussion and stressed the unmatched power of the U.S. military, though he refrained from committing to any action.

The president’s remarks came just one day after he publicly denied pursuing peace talks with Iran, labeling a report by Axios as “HIGHLY FABRICATED, FAKE NEWS” on Truth Social. He emphasized that he had not initiated any outreach, though he noted that Iran knew how to reach him if they wished. Despite this denial, Trump later disclosed that Iran had shown interest in dialogue and was even willing to come to Washington. Reflecting on prior negotiations, he mentioned that Iran had once rejected a significant deal that could have saved lives, suggesting they now regret that decision. While Trump acknowledged that a meeting might now be “a bit too late,” he recognized Iran’s renewed eagerness to engage in discussions.