No precondition for talks with Iran, says Trump
Washington: US President Donald Trump on Sunday said that there is no precondition for talks with Iran except that he would not allow it to acquire nuclear weapons.
Trump, after coming to power, has withdrawn from the Iranian nuclear deal and imposed sanctions on Tehran, which requires countries like India to stop purchasing oil from Iran.
"Not as far as I'm concerned. No preconditions," Trump told NBC's 'Meet the Press' when asked if he has any preconditions for talks with Iran.
"You'll talk anywhere?" asked Chuck Todd during the interview.
"Here it is. Look, you can't have nuclear weapons. And if you want to talk about it, good. Otherwise you can live in a shattered economy for a long time to come," Trump said.
The President said that he is surrounded by two groups of people hawks and doves.
"I have some hawks. Yeah, (National Security Advisor) John Bolton is absolutely a hawk. If it was up to him he'd take on the whole world at one time, okay? But that doesn't matter because I want both sides... I was against going into Iraq for years and years.
"And before it ever happened I was against going into Iraq. And some people said, 'Oh I don't know'. I was totally against and I was a private citizen. It never made sense to me. I was against going into the Middle East. We've spent USD 7 trillion in the Middle East right now," Trump said.
He said the US was on the verge of attacking Iran in retaliation of them allegedly shooting an unmanned drones in the Middle East. But he withdrew his permission half an hour before.
"They came and they said, 'Sir, we're ready to go. We'd like a decision'. I said, 'I want to know something before you go. How many people will be killed, in this case Iranians? They said 'Sir, approximately 150'. And I thought about it for a second and said, 'You know what? They shot down an unmanned drone, plane, whatever you want to call it. And here we are sitting with 150 dead people that would have taken place probably within a half an hour after I said go ahead'. And I didn't think it was proportionate," Trump said.
The US has already imposed massive sanctions on Iran.
"We're increasing the sanctions now. But the response is always going to be very strong. I built up a lot of capital. I've had a lot of people that aren't Trump fans saying, 'I can't believe'. You know, a lot of them said, 'We're going to be in World War III the first week'. Didn't work out that way. We're doing great in North Korea. We're doing great in a lot of different places. We knocked out the caliphate in Syria. We knocked out 100 per cent," Trump claimed.
He said that he was ready to negotiate with the Iranians.
"I think they want to negotiate. And I think they want to make a deal. And my deal is clear. Look, they're not going to have a nuclear weapon," he said.
"This isn't about the Straits. Do you know that China gets 91 per cent of its oil from the straits? We don't even need the straits. We have, we are now, because of -- since I came in, we're the number one energy producer in the world. Actually by far.
"And if I get the pipelines approved through the environmental process, which I will in Texas, we'll go up by another 25 per cent. But we're way ahead of Russia, we're way ahead of Saudi Arabia. And I think that they want to negotiate. I don't think they like the position they're in. Their economy absolutely broken," the President said.
Trump refuted reports that he ever sent a letter to the Iranian leaders.
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People are voting fearlessly in West Bengal this time: PM Modi
Hardoi (UP) (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said voters
are casting their vote in West Bengal this time in a "fearless atmosphere", which was unimaginable in the past six or seven decades.
He also asserted that the assembly poll results on May 4 will further strengthen the resolve of a developed India.
Voting is underway in 142 constituencies of West Bengal in the second and final phase of polling.
Addressing a gathering after the inauguration of the Ganga Expressway here, Modi said today marks an important day in the festival of democracy.
"Voting for the second phase is underway in Bengal, and reports indicate a massive turnout, with people stepping out in large numbers just like in the first phase. Images of long queues at polling stations are flooding social media, reflecting the enthusiasm of the people to exercise their democratic right," he said.
"What we are witnessing in Bengal today is unprecedented which was difficult to imagine in the past six to seven decades, a fearless environment where people are voting without fear," he said.
The prime minister said this is a powerful symbol of the country's Constitution and the strengthening of democracy.
"I express my gratitude to the great people of Bengal for being so aware of their rights and participating in large numbers," he said.
With several hours of voting still left, the prime minister urged the people of Bengal to continue participating in this democratic festival with the same enthusiasm.
Modi said in the recent Bihar Assembly elections, the BJP and NDA achieved a historic and decisive victory.
"Just yesterday, results of local body elections in Gujarat showed that the BJP secured victories in nearly 80 to 85 percent of municipalities and panchayats.
"The results on May 4 will further strengthen the resolve of a developed India and will infuse new energy into the pace of development of the country."
The first phase of polling for 152 seats -- out of the 294-member West Bengal assembly -- was held on April 23.
The counting of votes for assembly polls in Kerala, West Bengal, Puducherry, Assam and Tamil Nadu will take place on May 4.
