WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump is not committing to a clear course of action regarding Iran.
"Nobody knows what I'm going to do," Trump said on Wednesday in front of the White House when asked if he was considering a US strike against Iranian nuclear facilities. "I may do it. I may not do it," said Trump.
The US President reiterated his demand for Iran's "unconditional surrender", but on the other hand, he did not completely rule out further negotiations. He said it was not too late.
Trump stated that Tehran has "a lot of trouble". Trump claimed that the Iranian side had even suggested coming to the White House. "That's... courageous, but you know, it's... not easy for them to do, but they suggested [it]."
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected Trump's demand for unconditional surrender. Six days into the conflict, Khamenei warned the US would face "irreparable damage" if it intervenes in support of Israel.
Asked for his response to Khamenei rejecting his demand to surrender, Trump said: "I say, good luck."
Meanwhile, Wall Street's main indices advanced in late morning trading as investors also awaited the Federal Reserve rate decision, although they were mixed elsewhere.
The US military is ready to carry out any decision that President Donald Trump may make on Iran, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday, suggesting that the US direction could become more clear in the coming days.
Testifying before a Senate committee, Hegseth was very cautious in his public testimony, declining to say whether the Pentagon had prepared strike options against Iran.
"They should have made a deal, President Trump's word means something. The world understands that. And at the Defence Department, our job is to stand ready and prepared with options and that's precisely what we're doing," Hegseth told the Senate Armed Services Committee.
In its latest bombing run, Israel said its air force had destroyed Iran's police headquarters.
Traffic was backed up on highways leading out of the capital Tehran, a city of 10 million people, as residents sought sanctuary elsewhere.
Inside Iran, authorities are intent on preventing panic and shortages. Fewer images of destruction have been allowed to circulate than in the early days of the bombing, when state media showed pictures of explosions, fires and flattened apartments. A ban on filming by the public has been imposed.
The state has placed limits on how much fuel can be purchased. Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad told state TV that restrictions were in place to prevent shortages, but there would be no problem supplying fuel to the public. — Agencies
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