US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he seeks a deal with Iran and believes Tehran does too, speaking alongside Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who said he would try to help Tehran and Washington reach a deal.
"Iran does want to make a deal. I think they very badly want to make a deal. I am totally open to it, and we're talking to them, and we start a process," Trump said.
"It would be a nice thing to have a deal with Iran," he added during a joint press conference at the White House with Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince, who promised boost Riyadh's investment in the United States to $1 trillion.
Washington engaged in talks with Tehran over its disputed nuclear program earlier this year with a 60-day ultimatum.
On the 61st day, June 13, Israel launched a surprise military campaign which was capped with US strikes on June 22 targeting key nuclear sites in Esfahan, Natanz and Fordow.
Trump said on Tuesday his administration could have reached an agreement with Tehran before the June war, "but that didn't work out."
"Something will happen there. But they would very much like, I mean, they may say something else, but they would very much like to have a deal."
Trump also defended the US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, calling it "the right thing to do".
Addressing the crown prince Trump added, "We put you in a very good position."
Riyadh ready to help
The crown prince told the same press conference he was ready to help Iran and the United States reach a deal that would also benefit the Middle East.
"I will be working closely together on the (Iran) issue, and we will do our best to help to reach a deal between America and Iran," he said.
"We believe it's good for Iran's future to have a good deal that that would satisfy the region and the world. So we will do our best to see that they happen."
The surprise Israeli attacks that started on June 13 were publicly condemned by Iran's Arab neighbors in the Persian Gulf which oppose what they see as Iran's bid for hegemony in the region but seek calm to boost domestic growth agendas.
Following the 12-day war, they were quietly relieved that the campaign weakened the Islamic Republic, security experts told Iran International at the time, though Tehran's Arab rivals prefer a defanged Iran to a regime change that would lead to instability.
The campaign saw Israel gain control of Iran's airspace within days as it assassinated top military leaders and degraded Iranian missile capabilities.
However, any prolonged conflict or upheaval inside Iran would be viewed as a potential risk to the regional countries' tourism, trade and foreign investment, a taste of which was offered by the closing of air space across the Persian Gulf and crashing stock markets amid the conflict.
