President Donald Trump told reporters on Wednesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will do “whatever I want him to do” when it comes to dealing with Iran. Speaking before boarding Air Force One to give a speech at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut, Trump added that he is “in no hurry” to sign a peace deal to end the conflict.
“We’re in final stages of Iran,” Trump said. “We’ll see what happens. We’ll either have a deal or we’re going to do some things that are a little bit nasty, but hopefully that won’t happen.”
When reporters asked what exactly he told the Israeli leader about holding off on military strikes, Trump dismissed any worries about a disagreement. “He’s fine, he’ll do whatever I want him to do,” Trump said. “He’s a very, very good man. He’ll do whatever I want him to do. And he’s a great guy.”
Trump also brushed off political pressure to wrap up the conflict quickly. “You know, everybody’s saying, ‘Oh, the midterms, I’m in a hurry.’ I’m in no hurry,” he said. “I just—ideally I’d like to see few people killed as opposed to a lot. We could do it either way, but I’d like to see few people killed.”
The U.S. president revealed that on Monday evening, he was just “an hour away” from ordering new military strikes on Iran. He stopped the plans after allies in the Persian Gulf asked him to hold off, pointing to progress in peace talks. However, Trump warned that he will order strikes again if Iran does not agree to a peace deal.
READ: US Promises Cuba A ‘New Relationship’ And $100M Aid Package Amid Power Crises
In response to these comments, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps threatened to expand the conflict “beyond the region” if the U.S. or Israel launch new attacks. The group promised “crushing blows… in places you cannot even imagine.”
With tensions soaring, Israel’s military chief, Lt. Col. Eyal Zamir, announced on Wednesday that his forces are ready for anything. “At this moment, the IDF [military] is on the highest level of alert and prepared for any development,” Zamir said during a meeting with his division commanders.
Inside Iran, leaders are preparing the public for potential updates to the fighting. Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament, gave a recorded address published by the Tasnim news agency warning that the country is currently locked in a “war of wills.”
“The overt and covert movements of the enemy show that, alongside economic and political pressure, it has not abandoned its military objectives and is seeking a new round of adventurism and war,” Qalibaf said.
Qalibaf told Iranians that their military used a recent ceasefire to rebuild and strengthen its capabilities, saying the enemy “will undoubtedly regret any renewed aggression against Iran.”
Alongside the military threats, Qalibaf acknowledged that regular Iranians are dealing with heavy economic pressure and rising prices for daily goods. To fight inflation and protect supply chains, he announced that parliament is setting up a new special oversight committee.
“We are in a war of wills,” Qalibaf said to close his address. “Whoever wins this war will write Iran’s history and determine its future.”
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
