Trump wards off talk of Iran war

President Donald Trump on Thursday said he did not think increasing tensions with Iran are leading to war. On Wednesday, the president insisted on dialogue, tweeting, “I’m sure Iran will want to talk soon.” But when reporters asked Thursday if the United States is going to war with Iran, he replied, “I hope not.”

The United States deployed warships and planes to the region and withdrew its diplomatic staff from Iraq in recent days. On Friday, Mohammad Saleh Jokar with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard warned that Iran’s missiles with a range of 1,250 miles can “easily reach warships” in the Persian Gulf and across the Middle East.

Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the Senate will receive a classified briefing on Iran on Tuesday. The White House briefed congressional leaders on Thursday. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., insisted all lawmakers from both parties be informed on the escalating situation, noting that informing just the leaders “is no substitute for the full membership of the Congress.”