Trump on Iran: I’m going to make a great deal
US President Donald Trump said Sunday that he was prepared to take the time necessary to reach an agreement with Iran, emphasizing that preventing the Islamic Republic from obtaining nuclear weapons was more important than bringing the conflict to a swift conclusion. Speaking in an interview with FOX 2 Detroit , Trump warned that allowing Tehran to acquire nuclear weapons would pose a grave threat to international security. “You want to see problems? You want to see not only energy problems but death problems? Let them have a nuclear weapon because they will use it," Trump said. “And, I have to do that first." The President made clear that he was not seeking an agreement merely to achieve a quick end to the war, insisting that any arrangement must address the Iranian nuclear threat. “I’m going to make a great deal. I’m a longterm person; I’m not a short term person," he said. Earlier Sunday, Trump ruled out an immediate American military strike against Iran while speaking to reporters before departing for Michigan. “The answer is no. There will not be a strike today," the President stated. Trump also disclosed that he had received two different sets of intelligence assessments concerning Iran, including information that remained classified. Asked about a declassified intelligence report warning of advanced Iranian plots, he declined to elaborate on the findings of the other assessment. “I have two very different sets," Trump said. “We have very advanced sets of intelligence on Iran. Some has been declassified and some hasn't," he added, while maintaining that the United States was “doing very well" in its confrontation with Tehran. The President's comments followed several days of speculation about whether Washington was preparing to launch another round of military strikes against the Islamic Republic. On Saturday, Trump declined to reveal how close he was to authorizing additional military action when questioned by reporters. "Would you really think I'd tell you that? I mean, can anybody from the Wall Street Journal ask a question so stupid?" he responded. Although he refused to disclose his military plans, Trump acknowledged that further strikes remained a possibility, while suggesting that negotiations could still produce an agreement. "Let me tell you, while we're thinking about doing it, and maybe tomorrow, do you really think I'm going to tell you? If I'm going to do it, and there's a possibility I will, there's also a possibility we'll have a nice, big, beautiful agreement. They want to make a deal. But the problem is, will they hold the deal?" The possibility of an imminent attack had also been raised Friday by Tom Barrack, the US Ambassador to Turkey and Trump's special envoy for Syria and Iraq. During an interview with Lebanese-Australian entrepreneur and podcaster Mario Nawfal, Barrack suggested that American military action could take place over the weekend, even as Washington continued pursuing a diplomatic solution. “Could there be a strike this weekend? Absolutely. The president has been clear, I’m giving you American policy, the president is very clear: he’s open, and available and accessible to a deal. And we’ve been at the table for months and months and months," Barrack said. Trump was later asked about the ambassador's assessment and appeared to distance himself from the suggestion that a weekend strike was imminent. “[Barrack] is a pretty powerful man, I guess. If that’s the case, I don’t know anything about it," he replied. Later Friday, during a campaign rally in Florida, Trump again warned that Iran could face additional American military action if it failed to reach an agreement. “We may do another little Operation Epic Fury, or they will agree. If they're smart, they will just say, ‘Let's get down to business.’ But I doubt they will do that because perhaps they're not smart.