US President Donald Trump said on Monday that there is a good chance" of reaching a deal with Iran, but warned that Washington would resume military operation if negotiations fail.
"They want to meet, and we are meeting. We'll what happens. There is a chance we can make a deal," Trump told reporters.
"Without what we did, they wouldn't even be talking to us," he added.
"We're talking with Iran right now," he said. "We are having good talks. So, we'll see what happens. There is a good chance something can happen."
"If it doesn't, then we go back to doing what we were doing two days ago," he said, without elaborating.
"They would not have requested the meeting if we were doing poorly. The only reason they want to meet is because we've been hitting them very hard," Trump said.
Asked about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's claim that Russia was sharing satellite intelligence with Iran, Trump said he would seek clarification from the Russian leader. "Well, we'll find out about that soon. I'll ask Putin about it. We'll find out," he said.
Asked if he is on the same page with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Iran, whom he will meet Tuesday in Washington, Trump said they are "pretty close" but "we have a little difference."
The US carried out a series of strikes across Iran in recent days, responding to what it said were Iranian attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran responded by targeting facilities and bases it says are used by the US military in several countries across the Gulf region.
The exchange came despite a Pakistani-brokered framework agreement signed by the US and Iran in June to end their war that began in February and pave the way for a lasting peace deal.
