U.S. President Donald Trump announced that 48 Iranian leaders were killed in airstrikes, adding that he would engage in dialogue with Iran's new leadership while declining to specify a timeline.
"Forty-eight Iranian leaders have been killed in U.S. and Israeli airstrikes," Trump said in a Fox News interview on Thursday. "Things are moving fast, and no one will believe the success we're achieving."
In a separate interview with The Atlantic the same day, Trump said Iran's new leadership "wants to talk" and that he "will talk with them." However, when asked when such talks might occur, he replied, "I can't tell you," avoiding any specific timeframe.
In a CNBC interview, Trump addressed Operation Epic Fury, the sweeping military campaign against Iran. "Everything is ahead of schedule," he said, highlighting the earlier-than-expected elimination of key Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
"This is one of the most violent regimes in history," Trump said. "We are carrying out our mission not just for ourselves but for the world." CNBC noted that potential off-ramps to end the operation depend on multiple variables.
MSNBC reported that during a phone call on the night of December 28, Trump described the global reaction to Khamenei's death as "really fantastic," citing celebratory voices from within Iran and around the world. Trump also said he is "talking with many people in Iran," though he did not identify specific contacts for future negotiations.
Trump has been at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, fielding phone interviews with U.S. media while receiving briefings on the military operation since it began. He is expected to return to the White House later Thursday.