“And I don’t do that from strength or from weakness. I think it’s an appropriate thing to do.”
CNN Politics/Twitter
President Donald Trump said he would be willing to meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, citing his successes with North Korean Chairman Kim Jong Un as evidence that his meetings work.
This statement comes on the heels of President Trump’s aggressive tweet telling President Rouhani to “be cautious.”
To Iranian President Rouhani: NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE. WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23,2018
US President Trump says he’s “ready to meet anytime” with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani with “no preconditions” pic.twitter.com/uYmPycqQZ1
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) July 30,2018
I believe in meeting. The prime minister [of Italy Paolo Gentiloni] said it better than anybody can say it. Speaking to other people, especially when you’re talking about potentials of war and death and famine and lots of other things. You meet. There’s nothing wrong with meeting. We met, as you know, with Charman Kim and we haven’t had a missile fired off in nine months. We got our prisoners back. So many things have happened so positively. […]
Trump pointed to his administration’s work in bringing home three American prisoners from North Korea. Additionally, the remains of many Americans killed in North Korea were recently returned to U. S. soil.
The president believes these actions occurred because of his meeting with Kim.
Expanding off his point on North Korea, Trump hinted that he would be willing to renegotiate a deal with Iran, calling the previous deal a “waste of paper.”
So I believe in meeting. I would certainly meet with Iran if they wanted to meet. I don’t know if they’re ready, yet. They’re having a hard time right now. But I ended the Iran Deal. It was a ridiculous deal. I do believe that they will probably end up wanting to meet. And I’m ready to meet anytime they want to. And I don’t do that from strength or from weakness. I think it’s an appropriate thing to do. If we could work something out that’s meaningful. Not the waste of paper that the other deal was. I would certainly be willing to meet.
Trump said there would not need to be any preconditions to a meeting with President Rouhani.
“If they want to meet, I’ll meet,” said the president. “Anytime they want. It’s good for the country. Good for them. Good for us. And good for the world. No preconditions. If they want to meet, I’ll meet.”
