Is the U.S. really headed for war with Iran?
Based on comments made Tuesday by a spokesperson for the country's foreign ministry, it seems possible. President Trump said Monday that he believed "Iran would like to make a deal," but the spokesperson countered that Tuesday, saying "we currently see no prospect of negotiations with America," Reuters reports.
Trump withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran last year, reimposing sanctions on the country as he pledged to find a so-called "better deal" to curb its nuclear capabilities. Iran has since started pulling out of the deal itself, and with 1,500 American troops now planned for deployment in Iran, tensions are higher than ever.
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Still, Trump remained hopeful on Monday, saying he "really believe[s] that Iran would like to make a deal," and that he's only seeking denuclearization and not a regime change. Iran, on the other hand, disagreed. “Iran pays no attention to words. What matters to us is a change of approach and behavior," spokesperson Abbas Mousavi reportedly told the Fars news agency, which is considered a semi-official agency of the Iranian government. Iran's vice president also said its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had forbidden the development of nuclear weapons, Reuters reports.
Trump's hawkish National Security Adviser John Bolton has reportedly pushed to send thousands more troops to Iran in the past few weeks, but both countries have recently said they aren't seeking a war.
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