'Once in a generation opportunity': White House on 'talks' with Iran

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, on Monday (March 30), during the press briefing, said that the US operation in Iran is moving 'successfully'. Leavitt said more than 11,000 enemy targets have been struck so far, creating ‘more leverage for the United States and its allies’ and significantly weakening Iran’s offensive and defensive capabilities. She added that Iran’s ballistic missile and drone attacks are down by about 90%. As per Leavitt, the US has also ‘decimated’ Iran’s navy, destroying more than 150 vessels, including ‘92% of their largest vessels’.

She further claimed that the Iranian regime is ‘eager to end the destruction’ and come to the negotiation table. However, Iranian officials have repeatedly denied that they are engaged in talks with the United States. Addressing those reports, Leavitt said that despite the Iranian regime’s ‘public posturing’ and what she described as the media’s ‘false reporting’, talks between the US and Iran are still underway and progressing well. She added that private communication differs from what is said publicly.

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Leavitt said that President Donald Trump has issued a 10-day pause to ‘postpone’ planned strikes on Iran’s power plants and energy infrastructure. She described the moment as, ‘This remains a truly once-in-a-generation opportunity for the regime to make a good deal with the United States." Leavitt warned that if Iran rejects the offer, the US military ‘continues to stand by’ to provide Trump ‘every option available to ensure this regime continues to pay a grave price’.

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