US President Donald Trump has said that he would rather reach a deal with Iran than resort to military action, while warning that the use of force remains an option if diplomacy fails.
"I'd rather make a deal because I don't want to kill people," Trump said at an event in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
Trump said his administration had been prepared to launch the "biggest attack since World War II," but paused those plans after Iranian officials requested talks.
"They called me, and they said, 'Please don't do it. Let's talk,'" he said.
"They say, 'We never said that.' You know what? The fake news knows they did say that, but we are talking. Let's see what happens, but they respect us."
Reiterating his position on ongoing discussions, Trump confirmed the administration is speaking directly with Iranian representatives to evaluate potential outcomes.
He noted that US forces have previously delivered heavy strikes against Iranian targets, emphasising his personal preference for a negotiated settlement while insisting that Iran cannot be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon.
