WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump's announcement that he's willing to meet with Iran's leaders is receiving a mixed reaction from his secretary of state.
Monday, the president told reporters that not only is he willing to meet with Iranian leaders, he's willing to meet them without any preconditions.
"If they want to meet, I'll meet. Any time they want. Any time they want. Good for the country. Good for them. Good for us. And good for the world," he said.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says he supports the president's desire to talk with Iranian leaders – but not without preconditions.
"If the Iranians demonstrate a commitment to make fundamental changes to how they treat their own people, reduce their malign behavior, agree that it's worthwhile to enter into a nuclear agreement that actually prevents proliferation, then the president said he is prepared to sit down and have a conversation with them," Pompeo told CNBC.
Meanwhile, Iran has rejected Trump's offer to meet and instead has filed a lawsuit against the United States in the International Court of Justice in hopes of blocking US sanctions set to be reinstated after the United States pulled out of the nuclear deal.
US officials call Iran's lawsuit "baseless."
The president's latest announcement on Iran caught some by surprise as it comes one week after he posted a bold tweet to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
"NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE," the president posted on Twitter in all caps.
To Iranian President Rouhani: NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE. WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2018
He was reacting to President Rouhani, who that day said America "must understand well that peace with Iran is the mother of all peace and war with Iran is the mother of all wars."
The president's strong stance was praised by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while other leaders called for restraint between the two countries for fear they were on the brink of war.