Iran says Trump's statements on Tehran requesting ceasefire are false and baseless

Iran says Trump's statements on Tehran requesting ceasefire are false and baseless
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Summary The war has entered in its fifth week and Trump is under pressure amid rising gasoline prices

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson said that US ⁠President Donald Trump's statement on Iran requesting a ceasefire ⁠was false and baseless, ⁠Iranian state TV ⁠reported ⁠on Wednesday.

Earlier, Donald Trump said that the United States will be "out of Iran pretty quickly" and could return for "spot hits" if needed.

With the war in its fifth week and Trump under pressure for an off-ramp amid rising gasoline prices, the president scheduled a 9 p.m. EDT (0100 GMT) speech to discuss the way forward.

He said he is "absolutely" considering an attempt to withdraw the United States from NATO, a treaty organization ratified by the US Senate in 1949.

"They haven't been friends when we needed them," Trump said. "We've never asked them for much ... it's a one-way street."

Also Read: Iran wants Lebanon included in any ceasefire, sources say

Asked when the United States would consider the Iran war over, Trump said: "I can't tell you exactly .... we're going to be out pretty quickly."

He said US action has ensured Iran will not have a nuclear weapon.

"They won't have a nuclear weapon because they are incapable of that ⁠now, and then I'll leave, and I'll take everybody with me, and if we have to we'll come back to do spot hits," Trump said.

Trump also expressed his hope for a deal with the new leaders in Iran after airstrikes killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

"We have had full regime change," he said. "I'm dealing with a very good chance that ⁠we'll make a deal because they don't want to be blasted anymore."

"I didn't need regime change, but we got it because of the casualties of war. We got it. So we have regime change and the big thing we have ⁠is they're not going to have a nuclear weapon," said Trump, adding: "Nor do they want one."