President Trump said he is open to meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani within weeks to discuss lifting sanctions on the country.
French President Emmanuel Macron is working to set up a meeting between United States and Iranian officials. Macron discussed the possibility of a meeting with Trump at the 2019 G-7 summit in Biarritz, France.
Trump fielded questions about a potential meeting with Iran at a Monday press conference. When asked if meeting with Rouhani within the next several weeks sounded realistic, Trump said “it does.”
“I think [Rouhani] is going to want to meet. I think Iran wants to get this situation straightened out. Now, is that based on fact or based on gut? That’s based on gut, but they want to get this situation straightened out,” Trump said.
The U.S. slapped sanctions back on Iran in May 2018 after exiting the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal. The sanctions have crippled Iran’s oil trade and forced the regime’s customers, such as Japan, to find other sources. Iran has kept up some trading using tactics aimed at obscuring the source of oil and avoiding sanctions.
Trump said that, if discussion progress, the U.S. may loan Iran money to help Tehran repair the economic damage done by the sanctions.
“We’re not paying. We don’t pay. But they may need some money to get them over a very rough patch. If they do need money, it would be secured by oil, which to me is great security,” Trump said.
