Trump says Israel 'never talked me into' war with Iran; renews claim of 2020 presidential elections being rigged

President Donald Trump on Monday claimed that Israel did not convince him to launch the war against Iran, countering reports claiming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu swayed his decision amid backlash from conservative voices. He renewed his claim that the 2020 presidential elections were rigged.

"Israel never talked me into the war with Iran, the results of Oct. 7th, added to my lifelong opinion that IRAN CAN NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON, did," Trump posted on Truth Social.

He added that "the results in Iran will be amazing," as the US geared up to restart talks in Pakistan despite Iran's indecision on participating.

"And if Iran’s new leaders (Regime Change!) are smart, Iran can have a great and prosperous future!" Trump concluded.

Trump was ‘pulled into’ war with Iran by Netanyahu, says Kamala Harris

Earlier, former US Vice President Kamala Harris slammed Trump, claiming he was "pulled into" a war with Iran by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, dismissing it as a "feeble attempt" to divert attention from the “Epstein files”, according to ANI.

At a Michigan Democratic Women's Caucus event on Saturday, she described the conflict as a war that “the American people do not want.”

In her Detroit speech, Harris questioned the administration's intentions, charging that Trump is using "Operation Epic Fury" to sidestep domestic scandals. She termed the current government as the "most corrupt, callous and incompetent" in US history.

Harris expanded her critique of the President’s leadership style by saying that Trump tries to present himself as powerful, suggesting he wants to “walk around as if he is strong and will use the force of America's military against anyone whom he chooses.”

She described this as a major departure from longstanding foreign policy, arguing that he is the “first president of the US of either party since World War II to abandon America's responsibility to... nurture and protect our alliances, our friendships.”

The former Vice President also argued that ignoring established global norms has significantly harmed the country’s international reputation. She further claimed that Trump is the first leader to “not even pretend, and in fact, dismiss the importance of upholding international rules and norms such as sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Is Iran joining new round of peace talks with US?

Meanwhile, Iran said it had not yet made a decision about participating in a new round of peace talks with the United States on Monday, creating uncertainty around efforts to prevent the Middle East conflict from flaring up again.

Trump stated that he was dispatching negotiators to Pakistan to hold discussions aimed at ending the war that has affected the region and unsettled global markets, while also renewing threats to strike Iran’s infrastructure if no agreement is reached.

Following earlier negotiations in Islamabad that concluded without a deal this month, both sides have accused each other of violating a temporary truce that is now nearing its expiration.

As per AFP, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei mentioned on Monday, “We have no plans for the next round of negotiation, and no decision has been made in this regard.”

He added, "The US is carrying out behaviours that do not in any way indicate seriousness in pursuing a diplomatic process," he added, describing an ongoing US blockade of Iranian ports and its first seizure of a ship "clear violations of the ceasefire".

Trump has likewise accused Tehran of breaching the truce, due to expire overnight Tuesday, by targeting ships in the vital Strait of Hormuz trade route, which Iran has largely shut down.

These allegations have renewed uncertainty over efforts to end the conflict that began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on the morning of 28 February, which killed the country’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.

Oil prices rose sharply on Monday amid concerns that fighting could resume in the weeks-long war, after Iran once again closed the Strait of Hormuz following a brief reopening over the weekend.