Donald Trump: Not looking for regime change in Iran

Tensions have been rising between the two since Trumpu00c3u00a2u00c2u0080u00c2u0099s decision to withdraw from a nuclear deal with Iran; suggests Japan could mediate

Donald Trump: Not looking for regime change in Iran

Trump with Japan's emperor Naruhito (right) and his wife. Pic/AFP

Tokyo: The United States is not seeking a regime change in Iran, President Donald Trump said on Monday, as tensions between the two countries rise with Washington deploying troops to the region. "I know so many people from Iran, these are great people, it has a chance to be a great country, with the same leadership," Trump said at a press conference in Tokyo where he is on a state visit.

"We're not looking for regime change, I just want to make that clear. We're looking for no nuclear weapons. I'm not looking to hurt Iran at all," added Trump. The United States on Friday said it was deploying 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East to counter "credible threats" from Tehran, the latest step in a series of military escalations. Tensions have been rising between Washington and Tehran since Trump's decision last year to withdraw from an international nuclear deal with Iran and reimpose sanctions on the oil producer.

The US president reiterated on Monday his criticism of that "horrible Iran deal" but said he was open to new negotiations. "I think we'll make a deal," he said. Hours earlier, Trump had insisted: "I do believe that Iran would like to talk, and if they'd like to talk, we'd like to talk also." Trump sounded a similarly conciliatory tone on North Korea, a key topic of his discussions in Japan, which views Pyongyang as a major threat.

1,500
No. of troops Trump said he will deploy in the Middle East to counter 'threats'

Trump meets new Japan emperor
Trump on Monday became the first foreign leader to meet Japan's new Emperor Naruhito, who ascended to the throne at the start of this month. Accompanied by his wife Melania Trump, the US President arrived at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Monday morning. The US-drafted Japanese constitution stripped the Japanese emperor of any political power after World War II but the monarch holds a powerful symbolic role in the country.

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