Trump backs Israeli attacks, says Tehran ignored his 60-day ultimatum

US President Donald Trump praised Israel’s strikes on Iran as "a very successful attack" and warned Tehran to return to negotiations before it is too late, during a phone interview with CNN journalist Dana Bash on Friday.

Trump expressed strong support for Israel’s military actions against Iran. "We of course support Israel, obviously and supported it like nobody has ever supported it," Trump said.

He said that Iran had ignored a 60-day ultimatum he had previously issued. "Iran should have listened to me when I said – you know I gave them, I don’t know if you know but I gave them a 60-day warning and today is day 61."

Trump cautioned that Tehran must now "come to the table to make a deal before it’s too late. It will be too late for them. You know the people I was dealing with are dead, the hardliners.”

Responding to whether these deaths were the result of Israel’s strikes, Trump replied sarcastically, "They didn’t die of the flu; they didn’t die of Covid."