President Trump softened his tone on Iran slightly on Monday during a press conference following the Group of Seven summit in Biarritz, France. Trump said he would be open to meeting with Iranian president Hassan Rouhani, whom he called a "great negotiator." There's a "good chance" a face-to-face meeting happens, he said, but only under the right circumstances.
Trump did maintain that he's ready to use "really, very violent force" against Iran should Tehran conduct any illegal actions, but he also said he believes it can "be a great nation" and nixed the idea of pushing for regime change. He added that he doesn't "want to see" Iranians hurt by sanctions for much longer and that he expects Rouhani will likely want to set up a meeting in the hopes of getting "this situation straightened out."
Tehran's foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived at the G7 summit on Sunday at the behest of French President Emmanuel Macron. The surprise visit reportedly caught the White House off guard, and the two sides did not convene for any talks. But Trump on Monday said Macron let him know everything that was happening — he just felt that it was not the right time for U.S. officials to sit down with Zarif.
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