Secretary of State of the United States Marco Rubio The U.S. president said on Saturday Donald Trump His willingness to meet with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei if given the opportunity would indicate Washington’s willingness to negotiate with Tehran.He said Trump would prefer to reach an agreement and negotiate with Iran’s leaders, which could also open up the possibility of a direct meeting between Trump and Khamenei.
This comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran.In an interview with Bloomberg, Rubio predicted Trump would be keen on resolving global conflicts through dialogue. “I’m very confident in saying that if the Ayatollah said tomorrow that he wanted to meet with President Trump, the President would meet with him, not because he agrees with the Ayatollah, but because he thinks that’s the way to solve the world’s problems,” he said.He also clarified Trump’s approach to diplomacy, adding, “He doesn’t view meeting with someone as a concession.”Regarding Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Rubio said, “It is clear that Iran will never be allowed to possess nuclear weapons, which is a threat not only to the United States, Europe, world security and the region. There is no doubt about it.”Rubio defended the U.S. military presence in the region and Trump’s decision to deploy another aircraft carrier near Iran, saying: “Second, we obviously want to have troops in the region because Iran has demonstrated a willingness and ability to attack and counter U.S. presence in the region. We have bases because of our alliances in the region, and Iran has demonstrated in the past that they are willing to attack us and/or threaten our bases.” So we have to have enough firepower in the area to make sure they don’t make a mistake, pursue us and cause a bigger incident. “He further added, “The president has indicated that he would prefer a deal with Iran.”However, earlier in the day, Trump struck a different tone, suggesting that regime change in Iran might be beneficial. He told reporters at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, that a change in Iran’s leadership would be “the best thing that could happen.”Asked if he wanted regime change in Iran, Trump said: “That seems like the best thing that could happen.”“For 47 years, they’ve been talking and talking. And at the same time, we’ve lost a lot of lives while they’ve been talking,” he added.
