US President Donald Trump on Thursday said he did not want Israel to attack its arch-foe Iran while there was still hope for a nuclear deal with Washington but warned a 'massive conflict' in the region was possible.
Speaking at White House press conference, Trump said an Israeli attack on Iran was possible but that he hoped for a negotiated solution to the nuclear impasse.
Responding to reporter's question, Trump said, "Well I don't want to say imminent, but it looks like it's something that could very well happen."
"I'd love to avoid a conflict. Iran's going to have to ... give us some things that they're not willing to give us right now," Trump said. Tehran and Washington remain at loggerheads over whether Iran can keep enriching uranium on its own soil.
Trump added the two sides are "fairly close to a pretty good agreement," but struck an ambivalent note about the impact of a potential Israeli strike.
"As long as I think there is an agreement, I don't want them (Israel) going in, because I think that would blow it. Might help it actually, but it also could blow it."
Israel is weighing a potential attack on Iran within days, ABC News reported on Thursday citing three sources familiar with the situation.
The network cited the sources as saying they were unaware of any specific US role but added it was possible the United States could share intelligence or support logistics.
A sixth round of US-Iran nuclear talks is due to convene in the Omani capital Muscat on Sunday, in what could be a decisive moment for the war-weary region.
Trump on Thursday cited the possibility of a potential "massive conflict" in the region for drawing down US personnel from the Middle East, a day after US officials said the embassy in Baghdad would be partially evacuated.
"There's a chance of massive conflict. We have a lot of American people in this area, and I said we've got to tell them to get out, because something could happen soon," Trump said. "I don't want to be the one that didn't give any warning and missiles are flying into their buildings."
"He's going to drag us into a war"
Iranian rhetoric had ratcheted up on Wednesday as Defense Minister Aziz Nassirzadeh said Tehran would strike American bases in the region if nuclear negotiations fail and conflict breaks out.
"Some officials on the other side threaten conflict if negotiations don't come to fruition. If a conflict is imposed on us... all US bases are within our reach and we will boldly target them in host countries," Nassirzadeh said during a press conference.
Iranian officials also bristled at a resolution passed against it at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Thursday finding Tehran non-compliant with proliferation obligations.
The move put the Islamic Republic further at odds with the United Nations nuclear watchdog which inspects its nuclear facilities and would be a key player in any deal.
Meanwhile a prominent Democratic lawmaker urged the US Defense Secretary not to allow Israel to embroil the United States in a conflict and unsuccessfully sought to extract a pledge from Pete Hegseth not to strike Iran unless attacked.
"Will you commit to us not bombing (Iran) ... unless we're directly hit?" California representative Ro Khanna asked at a House hearing on Thursday.
"Would you agree ... that Netanyahu is itching for a fight? If Netanyahu uses American missiles to hit Iran, he's going to drag us into a war there," Khanna added.
The remarks were a rare public intervention by a Democratic lawmaker on Trump's Iran policy.
Hegseth said Trump sought peace but understood what he called the Iranian threat.
"The President has been earnestly and completely committed to a peace process. He's given Iran every opportunity, those talks are ongoing, but he also fully recognizes the threat that Iran poses."
