President Donald Trump said Sunday that Iranian political leaders have agreed to negotiations, a day after the United States and Israel launched a major military operation targeting Iran’s military and political infrastructure, resulting in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Speaking to a reporter for The Atlantic, Trump stated, “They want to talk, and I have agreed to talk, so I will be talking to them. They should have done it sooner.” He did not specify when these talks would take place, but indicated that previous interlocutors within the Iranian government were no longer available.
“Most of those people are gone,” Trump said, referring to Iranian officials involved in prior, intermittent discussions with the U.S. And other Western governments. “Some of the people we were dealing with are gone, because that was a big – that was a big hit.” He reiterated his belief that a deal could have been reached earlier, accusing Iranian leaders of “playing too cute.”
The U.S. And Israeli strikes, which began Saturday, are believed to have killed approximately 40 Iranian officials, according to sources cited by CBS News. The operation followed weeks of escalating regional tensions and threats of conflict. Trump announced the commencement of “major combat operations in Iran” via his social media account on Saturday morning.
In Iran, a leadership council has been formed to temporarily assume the duties of the Supreme Leader following Khamenei’s death. The council is composed of President Masoud Pezeshkian, the head of the judiciary, and a member of the powerful Guardians Council, Pezeshkian announced in a statement. He condemned the U.S.-Israeli strikes as a “declaration of war against Muslims, particularly Shiites across the globe,” and vowed to pursue justice and retaliation against those responsible.
Trump, in his comments to The Atlantic, offered no details regarding the composition of the Iranian delegation with whom he anticipates speaking. The White House has not yet announced a schedule for the proposed talks.
Israeli forces have reportedly targeted locations within Tehran for the first time since the strikes began, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The U.S. President has stated that “heavy and pinpoint bombing” of Iran would “continue, uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary,” to prevent what he described as a “wicked, radical dictatorship” from threatening U.S. National security interests.
