WASHINGTON, July 28 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said there have been good talks with Iran even as he reiterated his threats to target Pickaxe Mountain as well as bridges and power plants if a deal is not made with Tehran.
In an interview with Fox News, Trump said he wanted to avoid targeting Iran’s bridges and power plants if possible.
“It’s a very, very delicate balance. So I think we have a very strong position right now. They know I’m going to do that if they don’t make a deal,” Trump told the “Fox and Friends” program. “We cannot have them break deals anymore.”
“We have had some very good talks,” Trump said of Iran.
Trump is due to meet with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House later on Tuesday after the two countries launched strikes against Iran in February.
Trump was asked about reports that Netanyahu plans to talk to him about work happening at a site linked to Iran’s nuclear programme known as Pickaxe Mountain, a fortified facility buried deep underground near one of Tehran’s main nuclear sites.
“I don’t need Bibi to tell me that. Bibi’s telling me that because he wants me to stay involved,” the Republican president said, referring to Netanyahu.
“I know exactly what’s going on at Pickaxe. It’s not a big problem. We took out their nuclear sites, and we’ll have to take out Pickaxe if we don’t make a deal. We don’t make a deal, we’ll take it out very easily,” Trump said.
(Reporting by Doina Chiacu; writing by Susan Heavey; editing by Michelle Nichols)
