U.S. President Donald Trump is labeling as “incorrect” reports that he is willing to meet with Iranian leaders with “no conditions” to ease tensions, even though he and his aides have made the pledge on several occasions.
Late Sunday, Trump said on Twitter, “The Fake News is saying that I am willing to meet with Iran, ‘No Conditions.’ That is an incorrect statement (as usual!).”
The Fake News is saying that I am willing to meet with Iran, “No Conditions.” That is an incorrect statement (as usual!).
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
Trump’s complaint about the media’s accurate reporting of his Iran intentions came minutes after he tweeted his thoughts on Saturday’s drone attacks on Saudi Arabia’s key oil production operations, for which Pompeo, without offering evidence, has blamed Iran.
“Amid all the calls for de-escalation, Iran has now launched an unprecedented attack on the world’s energy supply,” Pompeo wrote, dismissing claims by Iranian-backed Houthi fighters in Yemen that they had carried out the drone attack.
Iran calls the charges it was behind the attack “maximum lies.”
Trump signaled U.S. willingness for a retaliatory strike on Saudi Arabia’s behalf, saying, “There is reason to believe that we know the culprit, are locked and loaded depending on verification, but are waiting to hear from the Kingdom as to who they believe was the cause of this attack, and under what terms we would proceed!”
Trump said he has authorized the release of oil from the U.S.’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve, “if needed, in a to-be-determined amount,” to stabilize world energy needs as the price of crude rose sharply in early Monday trading on the global market.