Former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley spoke out on Monday against a deal with Iran, as the US and the Islamic Republic are set to meet for talks on Iran’s nuclear program.
“You can’t make a deal with a regime that lies about its nuclear production, oppresses its people, and spreads terror around the world. Iran can't be trusted," Haley wrote in a post on social media.
The post followed reports that US envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will meet on Friday in Istanbul to discuss a possible nuclear agreement.
President Donald Trump has called for Iran to reach a deal with the US on its nuclear program, while leaving the military option on the table.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump commented on the US talks with Iran and said, “We have big ships heading to Iran right now. The biggest and the best. We have talks going on with Iran, we will see how it all works out."
“I can’t tell you what I’m going to do, because right now we have a tremendous force going there, just like we did in Venezuela - even bigger. And they'll be there soon," continued Trump.
“I'd like to see a deal negotiated. I don't know that that's going to happen. But if I knew, I wouldn't tell you. I'd be very foolish if I were to tell you. But right now we're talking to them. We're talking to Iran. And if we could work something out, that'd be great. And if we can't, probably bad things will happen."
Haley’s comments are similar to ones made on Sunday by Senator Lindsey Graham, who also spoke out against a deal between the US and Iran and went so far as to argue that true peace in the Middle East would only be possible once the Iranian regime falls.
“The biggest thing you could possibly do to the Middle East is take this regime down, and they’re as weak as they’ve ever been since 1979," Graham said in an interview with Fox News.
“Mr. President, you can do it, I hope you will do it," he added.