Iran's president says Tehran open to dialogue with US, accuses Israel of assassination attempt
FILE PHOTO: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian speaks during a meeting in Ilam, Iran, June 12, 2025. Iran's Presidential website/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo
WASHINGTON: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said he believes Iran can resolve its differences with the United States through dialogue, but trust would be an issue after US and Israeli attacks on his country, according to an interview released on Monday (Jul 7).
"I am of the belief that we could very much easily resolve our differences and conflicts with the United States through dialogue and talks," Pezeshkian told conservative US podcaster Tucker Carlson in an interview conducted on Saturday.
The Iranian leader urged US President Donald Trump not to be drawn into war with Iran by Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu, who is visiting Washington on Monday for talks at the White House.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said she was not sure if Trump had seen the Iranian president's comments, but agreed he was the right man to move the region towards peace.
Pezeshkian blamed Israel, Iran's arch-enemy, for the collapse of talks that were in place when Israel began its strikes on Iran on Jun 13, starting a 12-day air war with Israel in which top Iranian commanders and nuclear scientists were killed.
Pezeshkian also said that Israel tried to assassinate him.
"They did try, yes," he said. "They acted accordingly, but they failed."
Israel did not immediately respond to the allegation. A senior Israeli military official said last month that Israel killed more than 30 senior security officials and 11 senior nuclear scientists in its attack on Iran's nuclear sites.
Trump said he expected to discuss Iran and its nuclear ambitions with Netanyahu, praising the US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites as a tremendous success. On Friday, he told reporters that he believed Tehran's nuclear program had been set back permanently, although Iran could restart efforts elsewhere.
Iran has always denied seeking a nuclear weapon.
