Trump says US wants talks with Iran but there's ‘nobody to talk to’
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- US President Trump says US seeks dialogue with Iran but leadership has been decimated.
- Trump claims major Iranian military losses following US-‘Israel’ strikes.
US President Donald Trump on Friday said the United States wants to hold talks with Iran but asserted there is “nobody to talk to” after weeks of US-‘Israel’ strikes that, he claimed, have destroyed much of the country’s leadership.
Speaking at a White House trophy presentation, Trump said the US faces difficulty establishing negotiations, adding, “We're having a hard time. We want to talk to them, and there's nobody to talk to. We have nobody to talk to. And you know what, we like it that way.”
Read more: Iran denies direct talks with US despite Axios report
He also claimed that Iran’s navy, air force, anti-aircraft systems, radar, and leadership have been wiped out, describing the country as militarily crippled. Trump said, “Now nobody wants to be a leader over there anymore,” while reiterating that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons remains a central US objective.
Trump reported significant battlefield gains, claiming 58 Iranian naval ships were destroyed in two days and asserting the country’s navy has effectively been eliminated.
The remarks come amid heightened regional tensions since US-‘Israel’ strikes began on February 28. Reports indicate the attacks killed around 1,300 people, including Iran’s then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, senior official Ali Larijani, and more than 150 children at a girls’ elementary school.
Iran has retaliated with missile and drone strikes targeting ‘Israel’ and US-linked assets, further escalating the conflict and complicating any diplomatic efforts.
Read more: Trump calls NATO "cowards" over lack of support in Iran war
The president also noted that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was present in the White House Situation Room during the event, emphasizing the administration’s close oversight of the war.
This latest statement underscores Washington’s insistence on military pressure while claiming a continued openness to dialogue—though, according to Trump, Iran’s decimated leadership makes direct talks impossible.
