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US President Donald Trump on Monday said that he is determined to "finish" the ongoing war with Iran, asserting that Tehran must never be allowed to possess nuclear weapons while also suggesting that the conflict could end "very quickly".
Speaking to reporters during the 2026 White House Easter Egg Roll, Trump said, "Hopefully it would end quickly. We have many alternatives. We could leave right now, and it would take them 15 years to rebuild what they have. But I want to finish it up." He reiterated his long-standing position on Iran's nuclear programme, stating, "Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. They are lunatics - and you can't put nuclear weapons in the hands of a lunatic." The US president indicated that diplomatic engagement with Iranian representatives is ongoing and suggested that negotiations are progressing with what he described as more "reasonable" leadership on the Iranian side. "The war could end very quickly. They have to do certain things. They know that. They've been negotiating, I think, in good faith," he said. Trump repeated his assertion that the situation in Iran has undergone what he termed "total regime change", alleging that multiple phases of leadership had been replaced during the course of the conflict. "The people there now are much more reasonable than the lunatics that you had in phases one and two," he said, adding that the current negotiating representatives are "not as radicalised" and "much smarter". "You can call it what you want, but I call it regime change, and I think most people are giving us credit for that," Trump added, suggesting that the current leadership in Iran is more open to negotiation compared to the earlier regime. Trump further confirmed that his administration has received a proposal from Iran aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in West Asia, but described the offer as insufficient. Trump acknowledged reviewing the proposal, noting that it was a "significant step". "I have seen every proposal you can imagine. They've made a proposal, and it's a significant proposal -- a significant step. It's not good enough, but it is a very significant step. They are negotiating now, but it's still a very significant step," the US President said. Trump said "Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon" and referred to his decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear agreement signed under the Obama administration, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Trump claimed that had the United States "not broken the Barack Obama nuclear deal, Israel would have been gone, and the entire Middle East would be in big trouble". (ANI)
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