![White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks at the White House Press Briefing room in Washington DC., United States on January 7, 2026 [Celal Güneş - Anadolu Agency]](https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AA-20260107-40189844-40189833-WHITE_HOUSE_DAILY_PRESS_BRIEFING.jpg)
US President Donald Trump “has an interest” in exploring diplomacy with Iran, the White House said Monday, Anadolu reports. Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said Trump is “unafraid” to follow through on his threats to use military force on Iranian targets if demonstrators are attacked by security forces, but said his preference is to pursue diplomacy with Tehran. “One thing President Trump is very good at is always keeping all of his options on the table. And airstrikes would be one of the many, many options that are on the table for the commander-in-chief, diplomacy is always the first option for the president,” she told reporters at the White House. “What you’re hearing publicly from the Iranian regime is quite differently from […]
