Trump says he prefers Iran deal to avoid casualties, claims Tehran requested talks

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he would prefer to reach a deal with Iran because “I do not want to kill people”, while claiming Tehran had asked Washington to call off what he described as the “biggest attack” since World War II and agree to talks.

Speaking at a gathering in Las Vegas, Trump said the US had weakened Iran through recent military action but remained open to negotiations. He also reiterated that Washington would not allow Tehran to develop a nuclear weapon.

“In Venezuela, it was a 48-minute war, and we paid for the war with what we've taken out...to the victor belongs the spoils, and we are doing the same thing in the lovely Islamic Republic of Iran. We are knocking the hell out of them. I would rather make a deal, because I do not want to kill people,” Trump said.

Trump claimed the US had been preparing for a much larger military operation against Iran when, according to him, Iranian officials reached out and asked Washington to hold back.

“We were set for the biggest attack, since World War II, and they called me and they said, ‘Please don't do it. Let's talk.’ Then they said we never said that. You know what the fake news knows. They did say that, but we are talking. Let's see what happens,” he said.

Trump said Iran now respected the United States following recent developments and repeated his position that Tehran must not acquire a nuclear weapon.

“They respect us... No other president has done what should have been done a long time ago because Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” he said.

The US president also compared Washington’s approach towards Iran with its actions in Venezuela, while praising US immigration authorities for their operations against the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

“ICE is among our greatest patriots... These guys, what they do when they have to get Tren de Aragua from Venezuela... But now, I love Venezuela. We are getting a lot of oil from Venezuela, and we're getting along great with them,” he said.

Trump described Venezuela as one of the world's richest oil-producing nations and said the US had benefited from its engagement with Caracas.

His remarks came hours after he told reporters that there had been “a lot of progress” in contacts with Iran and claimed Iranian officials had reached out seeking talks. Trump said the situation would become clearer within 48 hours and suggested Tehran would be “very smart” to reach an agreement with Washington.