President Donald Trump told reporters that he believes “Iran will come along” in the face of significant sanctions and the destruction of nuclear facilities, and that the country wants to cut a deal.
Trump’s comments came in response to a question from Fox News’ Peter Doocy during his bilateral meeting with the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Sharm El-Sheik.
“President Trump in Israel, just now, you were talking about a possible Iran peace deal. You said, ‘We are ready when you are.’ Is that the ultimate goal with today’s signing?’ Doocy asked.
“Not Iran, but I think Iran will come along,” Trump said.
“They’ve been battered and bruised, and they need some help. They have big sanctions, as you know, tremendous sanctions. I’d love to take the sanctions off when they’re ready to talk, but they can’t really survive with those sanctions. Those sanctions are very tough,” He added.
He expects Iran to ask for the sanctions’ removal at some point, adding he thinks “Iran is going to be fine.”
“I know so many Iranian people. They’re great people, they’re smart, great great people, engineers, lawyers. I mean, they’re academics,” he said.
Trump reiterated his sentiment shared earlier in the day at the Knesset that this “once in a lifetime deal” between Israel and Hamas likely would not have been possible without Operation Midnight, which rendered Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan inoperable.
“Nobody’s ever seen anything like what’s happening today, and countries have all come together, all different countries, some like each other, some didn’t, most didn’t, and they’ve all come together,” he said.
“By the way, Iran did put out a statement, you know, that they support this deal very wholeheartedly,” he added. “So that was in itself something… That’s all I do in my life. I make deals, and they want to make a deal.”
El-Sisi praised Trump as the only leader who could bring about the present deal between Israel and Hamas.
“I welcome you to Egypt, it’s a great pleasure and an honor to have you with us here in the city of Sharm El-Sheik,” he said, adding, “I’m very confident that your excellency is the one who’s capable of bringing this about.”
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