Trump warns Iran, US may back Israel with military aid

(RNS, 18-06-25) President Donald Trump in about eight hours Monday went from suggesting a nuclear deal with Iran remained achievable to urging Tehran's 9.5 million residents to flee for their lives as he cut short his visit to an international summit to return to Washington for urgent talks with his national security team.

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He was expected to arrive at the White House early Tuesday at a moment of choosing in his presidency. Israel, with five days of missile strikes, has done considerable damage to Iran and believes it can now deal a permanent blow to Tehran's nuclear programme - particularly if it gets a little more help from Trump.

But deepening American involvement, perhaps by providing the Israelis with bunker-busting bombs to penetrate Iranian nuclear sites built deep underground or offering other direct U.S. Military support, comes with enormous political risk for Trump.

Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, it's very simple, Trump told reporters on Air Force One during his overnight flight back to Washington. He accused Iranian leaders of being unwilling to reach an agreement over their nuclear programme, and suggested he was now less interested in talking with them.

They should have done the deal. I told them, do the deal, Trump said. So I don't know. I'm not too much in the mood to negotiate.