President Trump said he was "all for" lasting peace with Iran but "ready, willing and able" to strike if Tehran poses additional threats to the U.S., speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday.

Trump offered wide-ranging remarks to the press in what was initially billed as a private dinner with the Israeli leader. He said that talks with Iran are expected within the next week and warned that he is prepared for more military action if necessary.

“I will tell you that in my view, I hope it's over. I think Iran wants to meet. I think they want to make peace and I'm all for it. Now, if that's not the case, we are ready, willing, and able,” Trump said, responding to a question on whether he believes the Israel-Iran war is over.

“But I don't think we're going to have to be.”

Trump said Netanyahu was better positioned to answer the question. The prime minister, sitting across the table, referred to Iran’s nuclear program and its ballistic missile program as two “tumors” that the combined operations of Israel and the U.S. had removed. But like a cancer, he said, the situation would require constant monitoring.

“We had great achievements; it’s part of the effort to make sure we don't have to repeat this, we have to monitor this,” Netanyahu said.

“No question this is a historic victory and I think as was said here today, we changed the face of the Middle East, we have an opportunity to create here a historic expansion of the Abraham Accords … that deserves a Nobel Prize for the........

© The Hill