“I truly tried to preserve the honor of the Iranian Empire and save it from destruction” — President Donald Trump

“I truly tried to preserve the honor of the Iranian Empire and save it from destruction” — President Donald Trump

Washington | June 14, 2025

While making efforts for months to reach a nuclear deal with Iran, former U.S. President Donald Trump also repeatedly urged Israel not to carry out military strikes. Speaking to Reuters in a phone interview on Friday, Trump revealed that he and his team had known in advance that the attack was coming. Still, he believes there is "a chance for a deal" with Iran.

“We knew everything, and I tried to prevent Iran from being humiliated or destroyed,” Trump said. “I really wanted a deal to happen, so I worked hard. They can still make a deal — it’s not too late.”

Trump said he had asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu multiple times to allow more time for nuclear negotiations. At the same time, however, he warned that if the talks failed, military action in Iran would be considered.

Trump shifts stance: Calls Israeli strike “excellent” and “very successful”

Although he initially tried to prevent a war, in interviews with multiple media outlets on Friday, Trump described the Israeli strikes as “excellent” and “very successful.” Analysts say this reflects his dual strategy — maintaining a tough stance while engaging in behind-the-scenes diplomacy.

Trump reiterated his support for using military power to halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions, even as some of America’s European allies called for restraint during this period.

U.S. supports Israel

President Trump said, “We support Israel. We are Israel’s number one ally — by far.”
However, he did not clearly say whether this attack might spark a wider regional war. “Let’s see what happens,” he added.

Later on Friday, two U.S. officials confirmed that the U.S. military assisted in intercepting ballistic missiles launched from Iran toward Israel.

Future of nuclear deal uncertain

Trump had been pushing for a new nuclear agreement that would require Iran to fully halt its uranium enrichment. He made it clear, “They want to enrich uranium. We cannot accept that.”

In the Reuters interview, he further explained, “We gave Iran 60 days to come to a deal, and today is day 61. So we knew everything.”

However, in light of the Israeli strikes, the future of negotiations now appears uncertain. A sixth round of talks was scheduled to take place on Sunday in Oman, but Trump is no longer sure if it will proceed.

“These talks haven’t been canceled yet. We still have a meeting with them on Sunday,” Trump said. “I’m not sure it will happen, but it’s still on the schedule.”

Impact of strikes and uncertainty ahead

Israel has stated that it targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories, and military officials. Trump commented that the strikes were “extremely destructive,” though he acknowledged that it remains unclear whether Iran’s nuclear program has truly been neutralized. “Nobody knows,” he said.

On Sunday night, Trump met with his national security advisors at Camp David. He later had two separate phone calls — one on Monday and another on Friday — with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. Afterward, he held a meeting with the National Security Council in the White House Situation Room, although details of that discussion were not disclosed.