President Donald Trump said Sunday that Iran’s new leadership after the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has signaled they are willing to talk with the president, and Trump is ready to do so.
Trump said in an interview with the Atlantic on Sunday that Iran has agreed to meet with him but noted the country should have agreed prior to Saturday’s attack, which was done in coordination with Israel, that killed many of Iran’s senior leaders.
“They want to talk, and I have agreed to talk, so I will be talking to them. They should have done it sooner. They should have given what was very practical and easy to do sooner. They waited too long,” Trump said.
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A date and time have not been set for discussions, the president said, adding that many of the leaders involved in previous talks are now dead.
Trump had previously said the operation in Iran, dubbed “Operation Epic Fury” by the Department of War, would continue for several days.
Trump said he does not have a timeline for the end of the bombing campaign aimed at destroying Iran’s missiles and missile industry. He said the operation was a long time coming.
“People have wanted to do it for 47 years,” Trump said. “They’ve killed people for 47 years, and now it’s reversed on them.”
The president’s comments come as the U.S. Central Command announced three U.S. soldiers were killed in action during the operation the day prior. Trump has said he recognizes the cost of the military operation in Iran but called it a “noble mission.”
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Since the operation, Iran has launched missiles in retaliation, with targets aimed at Israel and U.S. military operations in the Middle East. Videos show explosions at military posts in Kuwait and Iraq.
A residential area of Israel was leveled, resulting in nine dead and 20 more missing.
The future of Iran’s leadership sits a question mark for now, but Trump has said he has “good candidates” in mind.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that new leadership could be selected within the next few days, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the leadership transition process is already underway.
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Iranian authorities have declared national mourning while simultaneously coordinating military responses to continued Israeli strikes and defending against attacks across multiple fronts.
Possible successors have not been publicly named, and the selection could shape Iran’s domestic direction and foreign policy posture at a moment of escalating confrontation.
