Donald Trump: "“They called me, and they said, ‘Please don’t do it. Let’s talk,’”"

President Donald Trump said Wednesday in Las Vegas that he prefers a negotiated resolution with Iran over military confrontation, while insisting he remains willing to use force if necessary. He explained that his administration had been ready to carry out what he called an enormous strike, but the plans were shelved after Iranian officials contacted him and requested discussions rather than an attack. Direct talks between U.S. and Iranian representatives are now underway, Trump said, though Tehran has not confirmed his description of the outreach. He reiterated that Washington will not allow Iran to possess nuclear weapons.