Brian Snyder/Reuters
President Donald Trump on Monday said he'd be willing to meet with Iran without "preconditions."
- President Donald Trump on Monday said he would meet with Iran "anytime they want to" and without "preconditions" - roughly a week after threatening Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in an all-caps tweet.
- "No preconditions. They want to meet? I'll meet," Trump said.
- Republicans were highly critical of former President Barack Obama for making similar statements regarding meeting with Iran.
President Donald Trump on Monday said he would meet with Iran "anytime they want to" and without "preconditions," the week after he threatened Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in an all-caps tweet.
"I'll meet with anybody. I believe in meetings... I'm ready to meet anytime they want to," Trump said during a joint press conference with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who is visiting Washington, DC. "No preconditions. They want to meet? I'll meet."
Last week, Trump sent a tweet warning Tehran not to threaten the US after Rouhani said a conflict between the US and Iran would be the "mother of all wars."
"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!" Trump tweeted last week.
Trump's tweet prompted reports the US might be considering a missile strike against Iran, which Defense Secretary James Mattis sharply denied last week. The president's outburst also sparked harsh words from a top Iranian general, who warned Trump a war with Iran would "destroy all that you possess."
Trump has long taken a belligerent stance toward Iran and made the controversial decision in May to withdraw the US from the landmark Iran nuclear deal, which was orchestrated by the Obama administration. The deal is designed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons in exchange for the easing of economic sanctions.
Multiple US allies, including the UK, France, and Germany, criticized Trump for pulling the US from the deal.
But Trump has since signaled a desire to negotiate a new deal with Iran, and on multiple occasions said he's open to talks with the Iranian government.
Republicans were highly critical of former President Barack Obama for making similar statements about meeting Iran's leaders without preconditions.