Speaking during a press conference with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte at the White House Monday afternoon, President Trump made officials of the Iranian regime an offer: a meeting without preconditions.
"I would certainly meet with Iran if they wanted to meet. I don’t know if they’re ready yet. They're having a hard time right now. But I ended the Iran Deal, it was a ridiculous deal. I do believe they will probably end up wanting to meet and I'm ready to meet at anytime they want to,” Trump said. "I don't do that from strength or from weakness. I think it's an appropriate thing to do. If we could work something out that's meaningful, not the waste of paper the other deal was, I would certainly be willing to meet."
"No preconditions, no. If they want to meet, I'll meet. Anytime they want," he continued. "It's good for the country, good for them, good for us and good for the world. No preconditions."
.@POTUS to Iran: "They want to meet? I'll meet - any time they want...It's good for the country, good for them, good for us, and good for the world." https://t.co/fD6NHuNMvG pic.twitter.com/plUaUhL6J4
— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 30, 2018
The offer comes nearly two weeks after President Trump fired back at Iranian President Hassan Rouhani for threatening the United States.
To Iranian President Rouhani: NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE. WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2018
So, what's next?
Meet with Trump or risk the death spiral of their economy & possibly the Islamic Republic. What will the supreme leader do? I’m guessing a meeting between Trump & Rouhani sometime soon.
— Mark Dubowitz (@mdubowitz) July 30, 2018
Trump should demand to meet Khamenei. Rouhani is more irrelevant than ever. Trump-Khamenei 2019 Summit in Baku.
— Mark Dubowitz (@mdubowitz) July 30, 2018