US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Iran was “begging” for a deal to end the war, and warned of more attacks if Tehran did not give up its nuclear ambitions.Speaking during the first Cabinet meeting at the White House since the conflict began, Trump said Iran was now trying to negotiate after weeks of fighting.Trump described him as a “lousy fighter” but a “great negotiator”, saying, “They’re begging to make a deal, not me. They’re begging to make a deal.” But he also suggested the window for diplomacy may be closing and hinted that Washington may no longer be willing to move forward with a deal. “I don’t know if we’ll be able to do it,” he said of the prospects for a deal. “I don’t know if we’re ready to do that.”Trump also warned Iran to change course or face more military action.“Now they, Iran, have a chance to permanently abandon their nuclear ambitions and chart a new path forward,” Trump said. “We’ll see if they want to do it. If they don’t, we’re their worst nightmare. In the meantime, we’ll just keep blowing them up.”Trump also said the U.S. military operation against Iran is “far” ahead of schedule, citing the original four-to-six-week timeline for the war that began nearly a month ago.Trump said, “We estimated that it would take about four to six weeks to achieve our mission. Twenty-six days we are actually well ahead of schedule.”Earlier in the day, Trump warned Tehran on social media to “get serious soon” about talks to end the war. The post came a day after he said a deal was on the way despite Tehran’s rejection of his 15-point ceasefire plan.On Thursday, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Washington’s proposal to end the nearly four-week fighting was “one-sided and unfair”, although diplomacy was continuing.Meanwhile, the United States was preparing for the arrival of thousands of troops that could potentially be used on the ground in Iran.The war continues to cause heavy damage throughout the region. The death toll has risen to more than 1,900 in Iran and nearly 1,100 in Lebanon, while dozens have been killed in Israel and elsewhere in the region. Thirteen US military members have also been killed, while millions of people have been displaced in Iran and Lebanon.
