Trump made decision "minutes before the bombs were dropped" on Iranian nuke sites: Vance

Washington DC [US], June 23 (ANI): US President Donald Trump made the final decision to launch strikes on Iranian nuclear sites "minutes before the bombs dropped," Vice President JD Vance said on Saturday, CNN reported.

VP Vance was speaking during an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" with Kristen Welker, and added that Trump "had the ability to call off this attack until the very last minute" and decided to proceed.

Massive "bunker buster" bombs were dropped on two of the nuclear sites around 6:40 p.m. ET Saturday in the US, placing the time of the attack around 2:10 a.m. local time Sunday in Iran, according to a timeline provided by the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, as reported by CNN.

Trump had been deliberating for days about US involvement and directed his press secretary to offer a two-week timeline from the briefing room in recent days. But he had been leaning toward joining Israel's military campaign in private discussions with senior staff as his envoy Steve Witkoff was still making diplomatic efforts, CNN reported.

"President Donald Trump made the final order for the US to strike Iranian nuclear sites on Saturday," CNN reported, quoting a senior White House official. Trump made the final call on Saturday and directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to go ahead, this official said.

The US is now closely watching whether Iran attacks American troops or continues its nuclear weapons program, Vance said, calling the current situation "a very delicate moment," as reported by CNN. He noted that Iran's next steps would become clear within the next 24 hours.

So far, the US has "received some indirect messages from the Iranians," Vance said. Earlier on Sunday, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said that "both public and private messages are being directly delivered to the Iranians in multiple channels."

Asked about what would happen if Iran takes steps to disrupt shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, Vance said that action "would be suicidal" and would "destroy their own economy," CNN reported.

Reiterating the administration's stance, Vance said the US has "no interest in boots on the ground" and dismissed concerns that the US involvement would escalate.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for direct negotiations between the United States and Iran in the wake of Saturday's military strikes and said America is "prepared to talk to them tomorrow." The top US diplomat reiterated that Iran could have a civil nuclear program but no uranium enrichment, CNN reported.

"The Iranian regime should wake up and say, 'Okay, if we really want nuclear energy in our country, there's a way to do it.' That offer is still there. We're prepared to talk to them tomorrow and start working on that," Rubio said. "Steve Witkoff has traveled extensively around the world trying to reach that deal with them, but they play too many games. They play way too many games. And now they found out."

He added that Iran "tried to play" in negotiations, so "the president had to take action as a response." Iran rejected the US proposal, "wouldn't respond" to American offers and "disappeared for 10 days" ahead of the military operation, he said.

Although Iran "consistently" messages interlocutors, Rubio criticized the lack of direct dialogue. "They want to pass messages and notes like we're in third grade. We're not doing that anymore," he said. "Direct negotiations. Let's talk about how we peacefully resolve this problem. The Europeans have pressured them on that point, and we encourage them to continue to do so, and are grateful that they've been doing that so far," CNN reported.

Rubio said Iran has a "very simple decision" to make. "If what they want is nuclear reactors so they can have electricity, there are so many in the so many other countries in the world that do that, and they don't have to enrich their own uranium, they can do that," he said. Iran has rejected the idea of not being able to enrich uranium.

Addressing local concerns in an interview that aired on Sunday, VP Vance said, "The president, more than anybody, is worried about protracted military conflicts. That is not what we're getting ourselves involved in. What we're getting ourselves involved in is a very targeted effort to eliminate the Iranian nuclear program that will continue to be the goal of American foreign policy, and it's that goal, that is going to motivate our action in the weeks and months to come," CNN reported.

Meanwhile, the US State Department has advised Americans in Iran to shelter in place and not expect government-assisted evacuation.

In updated guidance dated Sunday, the department warned that "US citizens seeking departure should take advantage of existing means to leave Iran." The US does not have a diplomatic presence in Iran. Switzerland, who assists US citizens in Iran, has closed its protecting power office until further notice, CNN reported. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)