U.S. President Donald Trump has rejected the idea of a temporary Iran-Israel cease-fire, instead demanding a complete and permanent end to Tehran’s nuclear program.
Speaking to reporters early Tuesday aboard Air Force One after his departure from the G-7 summit in Canada, Trump said he wanted to see "an end, a real end – not a cease-fire, an end."
Trump left the summit in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta unexpectedly early, citing the escalating crisis in the Middle East as the reason.
Although Trump had at one point suggested that he believed Iran was open to negotiations, he said on social media that he had not reached out to the leadership in Tehran.
He also rejected reports that he was working on achieving a cease-fire between Iran and Israel.
Speaking to reporters, Trump also predicted that Israel would not be easing its attacks on Iran.
"You're going to find out over the next two days. You're going to find out. Nobody's slowed up so far," he said.
Trump, however, added he might send U.S. Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff or Vice President JD Vance to meet with Iran.
Washington has said Trump is still aiming for a nuclear deal with Iran, even as the military confrontation unfolds.
"If they want to talk, they know how to reach me. They should have taken the deal that was on the table – Would have saved a lot of lives!!!" he posted on Truth Social, apparently referring to nuclear negotiations between his administration and Iran.
The sixth round of those talks had been scheduled to take place Sunday in Oman, but was canceled as the conflict between Israel and Iran escalated.
Israel says its military campaign in Iran, now in its fifth day, is aimed at thwarting Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi, in reply, said: "If President Trump is genuine about diplomacy and interested in stopping this war, next steps are consequential."
"Israel must halt its aggression, and absent a total cessation of military aggression against us, our responses will continue," he wrote on X.
Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and has pointed to its right to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including enrichment, as a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Israel, which is not a party to the NPT, is the only country in the Middle East widely believed to have nuclear weapons. Israel does not deny or confirm that.
