Trump says Iran wants deal amid mounting war pressure

• Trump says Iran wants a deal but he intends to seek what he calls a “real deal”
• The US president says Iran’s military and economy have been severely weakened by the war.
• Trump says US support remains crucial to ‘Israel’s’ ability to defend itself.

US President Donald Trump said Iran wants to reach a deal with Washington but vowed to continue pursuing what he described as a “real deal,” as the war between the United States and Iran enters its seventh month.

In an interview with TIME published on Thursday, Trump said he initially expected the conflict to last six to eight weeks but decided to continue military operations after US strikes on Iranian targets.

“They're doing very poorly,” Trump said, referring to Iran. He claimed its economy, navy and air force had been severely damaged and said Tehran was seeking an agreement with Washington.

Trump said he believed the outcome would ultimately be favorable to Washington and that oil prices would fall once a deal was reached.

The president also addressed the Strait of Hormuz, saying the United States had effectively taken control of the waterway after Iran threatened to close it. He claimed record volumes of oil had passed through the strait the previous night, a claim that could not be independently verified from the interview.

Asked about his previous suggestion that Iran could be “annihilated,” Trump said he stood by the possibility, arguing that such action would create peace.

Trump and ‘Israel’

On ‘Israel’, Trump said his primary objective was to help the country defend itself and reiterated his opposition to Iran possessing nuclear weapons. 

He declined to say whether ‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should seek another term, saying he would not underestimate Netanyahu.

Trump also said ‘Israel’ would not have been able to defend itself against regional threats without US support and claimed Iran posed a major threat to the country.