US President Donald Trump said Thursday that he is open to talks with the Iranian leadership, amid mounting tensions between Washington and Tehran.
"What I would like to see with Iran, I would like to see them call me," Trump told reporters at the White House.
The US president claimed that former US secretary of state John Kerry had told Iran "not to call."
"But they should call," he said. "If they do, we are open to talk to them."
TRUMP: THREATS LED TO CARRIER DEPLOYMENT
President Donald Trump says the U.S. sent an aircraft carrier group to the Persian Gulf because the Iranians "were threatening," telling reporters coyly: "We have information that you don't want to know about."
Trump also says Thursday he'd like to see the Iranians call him, but claims former Secretary of State John Kerry advised them not to. He's accusing Kerry of violating the Logan Act, which makes it a crime for people outside the United States government to negotiate with foreign countries, and says Kerry should be prosecuted.
Trump's national security adviser John Bolton said Sunday night that the U.S. was deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to the Middle East.
Trump says the risk of a military confrontation is "always" present, but adds, "hopefully that won't happen."
