U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed his preference for a diplomatic resolution with Iran rather than military action, stating that he would favor striking a non-nuclear agreement over launching an attack.

“I would like a deal done with Iran on non-nuclear. I would prefer that to bombing the hell out of it,” Trump told the New York Post aboard Air Force One on Friday. He added, “They don’t want to die. Nobody wants to die.”

Trump also suggested that if a deal were reached, Israel would refrain from carrying out a military strike against Iran. However, he did not disclose whether negotiations with Tehran were underway.

His remarks follow a previous denial that the U.S. and Israel were planning military action against Iran. Instead, Trump reiterated his desire to forge a new nuclear agreement and urged immediate efforts toward such a pact.

Iran’s Response and Nuclear Developments
The interview was published as The Telegraph reported that top commanders of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had urged Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to reconsider his longstanding religious edict against nuclear weapons. According to the report, the IRGC leaders argued that acquiring nuclear capability was necessary to counter perceived existential threats from the West.

Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian denied that Tehran was pursuing nuclear weapons, stating that such an approach was incompatible with the principles of the Islamic Republic. He cited Khamenei’s fatwa, which prohibits the development of atomic weapons, and emphasized that Iran is not seeking to acquire nuclear arms.

Khamenei, however, warned that if Washington “threatens” Iran’s security, Tehran would retaliate in kind. He criticized past U.S. policies, stating that negotiations with Washington would not be “intelligent, wise, or honorable” given that Trump had previously withdrawn from the 2015 nuclear agreement.

Trump Discusses Ukraine War with Putin

In the same interview, Trump revealed that he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin in an effort to end the war in Ukraine.

Although he declined to disclose how many times they had communicated, Trump claimed that Putin “wants to see people stop dying” and suggested that he had a concrete plan to resolve the conflict.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated on Sunday that he could “neither confirm nor deny” reports of a conversation between Putin and Trump. The White House has not yet commented on the matter.

Trump also announced that he is likely to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky next week to discuss efforts to end the war, which will mark its third anniversary on February 24.

“I hope it’s fast,” Trump said. “Every day people are dying. This war is so bad in Ukraine. I want to end this damn thing.”

Diplomatic Developments Continue
The developments come amid growing tensions in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, with the Biden administration facing pressure to address security concerns related to Iran while also supporting Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.

As Trump signals his willingness to negotiate with Iran and engage with Russia over Ukraine, his approach to diplomacy remains a key focal point in global politics.