Donald Trump has left the G7 summit in Canada early to return to Washington and predicted a further intensification of Israeli strikes on Iran.
Advising Tehran residents to “immediately evacuate”, the US president denied he was pursuing a ceasefire, saying he wanted a “real end” to the war, with Iran “giving up entirely” on its nuclear ambitions.
The US president said he was seeking something “better than a ceasefire”, dismissing a statement from French President Emmanuel Macron, who said Trump had told G7 leaders that discussions to secure a ceasefire between the regional rivals were under way.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he had “not reached out to Iran for ‘Peace Talks’ in any way, shape, or form”.
Speaking on Air Force One, he told CBS that Israel was not slowing its assault on Iran. “You’re going to find out over the next two days. You’re going to find out. Nobody’s slowed up so far.”
He also said on the flight: “I’m not too much in the mood to negotiate”.
But Trump left open the possibility of US diplomacy, saying he “may” send his envoy Steve Witkoff or Vice-President JD Vance to meet Iranian leaders but “it depends what happens when I get back”.
Washington has adopted a defensive posture so far in the conflict, according to US officials, but this has included helping Israel to shoot down incoming Iranian missiles and drones using US naval ships in the Mediterranean.
If the US were to intervene directly, it may deploy B-2 stealth bombers deployed in Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities.
One such target could be the uranium enrichment facility at Fordow near the city of Qom, which is dug into a mountainside under dozens of metres of reinforced concrete.
It is thought to be impregnable to even the heaviest bunker-buster bombs that Israel has, and only vulnerable to the US Air Force’s 30,000lb massive ordnance penetrator dropped from its B-2 or B-52 heavy bombers.
Shortly before the US president’s exit, G7 countries including the US called for a resolution of the conflict and a “broader de-escalation” in the Middle East.
The president had initially resisted signing up to the G7 statement and has issued increasingly hawkish statements on the war.
However, asked by CBS whether US involvement would destroy Iran’s nuclear programme, he said he hoped it would be “wiped out long before that”.
Iran has said it will only agree to negotiate an end to the conflict with Israel and resume talks over its nuclear programme if Israeli forces halt their bombing campaign, according to diplomats.
Israel has continued to launch waves of missiles into Iran since it began its attack on Friday. Iran has retaliated with volleys of missiles across Israel. Both sides have sustained casualties.
