President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States had been on the verge of launching military strikes against Iran before several Gulf nations urged him to postpone action and allow negotiations to continue.

Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump said American forces had already been fully positioned for an attack when regional allies intervened and requested more time for diplomacy.

“We were all set to go,” Trump said. “The boats, the ships are all loaded. They’re loaded to the brim.”

According to Trump, leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain and other regional governments contacted him directly after learning that military operations appeared imminent.

“They said, ‘Sir, could you wait? We think we’re close to a deal,'” Trump said.

Despite agreeing to pause the attack, Trump warned that the delay would not last indefinitely and argued that Iran poses an extreme danger if it succeeds in obtaining nuclear weapons.

“We can’t let them have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “If they had a nuclear weapon, they would start with Israel. They would blow it up fast.”

During a televised press conference carried live by Newsmax — originally focused on plans for a new White House ballroom — Trump said Iran could eventually threaten Gulf nations and potentially spark catastrophic destruction throughout the region.

“There’s no question in my mind that they’d use it,” Trump said of Iran’s leadership. “These are people that are seriously radicalized.”

Trump also stated that Chinese President Xi Jinping assured him that Beijing is not supplying military equipment to Tehran despite rising tensions in the Middle East.

“President Xi promised me he is not sending any weapons to Iran,” Trump said. “I take him at his word.”

The president additionally accused Iran of using the Strait of Hormuz as leverage for decades and vowed that the United States would guarantee continued freedom of navigation through the critical waterway.

Trump’s remarks came amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran following months of stalled diplomacy and ongoing disputes over Iran’s nuclear program.

The president also defended his decision during his first term to withdraw from the nuclear agreement negotiated under President Barack Obama, arguing that abandoning the deal prevented Iran from accelerating its nuclear development.

“Had I not terminated Barack Hussein Obama’s Iran nuclear deal,” Trump said, “that can’t happen.”

Trump acknowledged that confronting Iran could create temporary economic difficulties but insisted the risks are justified in order to prevent a nuclear conflict.

“I’m not going to let the world be blown up on my watch,” Trump said.

The president also brushed aside criticism from both Democrats and Republicans who oppose potential military action, saying most Americans understand the stakes involved.

“When I’m with people and they say, ‘Is it OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon?’ everybody says no,” Trump said. “Then we have nothing further to discuss.”

Throughout the remarks, Trump repeatedly insisted Iran would never be permitted to acquire nuclear weapons and predicted the standoff would soon be resolved either through negotiations or force.

“One way or the other,” Trump said, “it’s not going to happen.”

{Matzav.com}