“You can’t have peace if Iran has a nuclear weapon,” US President Donald Trump has said in response to criticism over his support for Israel in its conflict with Iran.
Talking to the Atlantic, Trump added: “So for all of those wonderful people who don’t want to do anything about Iran having a nuclear weapon—that’s not peace.”
The comments came in response to criticism that his allegiance with Israel amid the fighting with Iran was going against his “America First” approach.
“Considering that I’m the one that developed ‘America First,’ and considering that the term wasn’t used until I came along, I think I’m the one that decides that,” Trump said.
The US President warned on Sunday that Iran would face “the full strength” of the American military if it attacks the US, emphasising that Washington was not connected to Israel’s strikes on Tehran’s nuclear facilities.
“The US had nothing to do with the attack on Iran, tonight. If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the US Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before,” he wrote on the Truth Social platform.
“However, we can easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict!!!”
Despite helping to defend Israel from missile attacks, Washington has maintained that it has not taken part in the strikes on Iran itself.
But Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said on Sunday that Tehran had evidence to show US forces supported Israel’s major offensive, named operation “Rising Lion”.
Trump said that Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed with him during a one-hour phone call that the Iran-Israel conflict should end.
Shortly after 1am UK time on Friday, Israel launched "pre-emptive strikes" against targets in Iran, killing a number of Iranian commanders, nuclear scientists and the head of the country's powerful Revolutionary Guard: Major General Hossein Salami.
Israel's military said Iran responded by firing fewer than 100 missiles, most of which were intercepted or fell short.
On Saturday night, Israel and Iran launched new attacks against each other. At least 10 people were killed and 200 were injured in Israel: six died when a residential building in Bat Yam was directly hit, and four were killed in Tamra after an Iranian missile struck a residential building.
A few days ago, Iran's ambassador to the UN said that 78 people had been killed in Israeli attacks.
