By Steve Holland
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump’s administration sought to distance the United States on Thursday from Israel’s strikes on Iran, attacks that are likely to complicate Trump’s drive for a nuclear deal with Tehran.
Israel said it had struck Iranian nuclear targets to block Tehran from developing atomic weapons, even as the Trump administration was preparing to hold a sixth round of talks on Sunday on Tehran’s escalating uranium enrichment program.
Marco Rubio, Trump’s secretary of state and national security adviser, stressed that Israel’s strikes were unilateral, while saying the U.S. had known attacks would occur.
“We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region,” Rubio said in a statement. “Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defense.”
Just hours before the strikes, Trump had urged a diplomatic solution to the tensions, while saying a strike on Iran “could very well happen.” Iran says its nuclear energy program is only for peaceful purposes, although the International Atomic Energy Agency on Thursday declared Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in almost 20 years.
Rubio had a stark warning for Iran, a day after the United States ordered some U.S. personnel to leave the Middle East in response to tensions in the area. “Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel,” he said.
His statement did not mention whether Washington would support Israel if it faces retaliatory strikes, a standard line in the past.
Trump has been increasingly at odds with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over both Iran and his handling of the Israel’s war in Gaza, wanting to seal a deal with Tehran and accelerate food aid into Gaza.
Trump and Netanyahu spoke on Monday, and Trump told reporters the main topic was Iran. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, he suggested an Israeli attack was imminent.
“Well, I’d love to avoid conflict. Iran’s going to have to negotiate a little tougher, meaning they’re going to have to give us some things that they’re not willing to give us right now,” he said.
Retaliation by Iran for Israel’s strikes could put U.S. troops and diplomats around the region at risk, given that the United States is Israel’s main backer.
Security concerns had risen since Trump said on Wednesday that U.S. personnel were being moved out of the region because “it could be a dangerous place” and that Tehran would not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.
Washington and Tehran on Thursday had announced plans for another round of talks on Sunday in Oman between U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.
Whether that meeting will take place is now unclear. A Witkoff spokesperson did not immediately respond to a query.
(Reporting By Steve Holland; Editing by Don Durfee and William Mallard)
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