Trump urges Iran to 'do the smart thing'
- By AFP -
- May 05, 2026
US President Donald Trump urged Iran Tuesday to “do the smart thing” and make a deal, saying even as a Middle East ceasefire teetered that he did not want to kill more Iranians.
“They should do the smart thing, because we don’t want to go in and kill people. Really don’t,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “I don’t want to, it’s too tough.”
Trump declined to say what Iran would have to do to formally violate the nearly month-long truce. Iran has in recent days fired missiles and drones at US forces and the United Arab Emirates.
“You’ll find out,” he said. “They know what to do. They know what not to do, more importantly, actually.”
The US leader also accused Iran of “playing games” with a deal to end the war — an agreement which Trump says must ensure that Tehran cannot develop a nuclear weapon.
“What I don’t like about Iran is they’ll talk to me with such great respect, and then they’ll go on television, they’ll say, ‘We did not speak to the President,'” said Trump.
“So they play games, but let me just tell you, they want to make a deal, and who wouldn’t? When your military is totally gone, we could do anything we want to them.”
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