US and Iran Signal Readiness for Talks as Saudi Arabia Warns of Retaliation Against Continued Attacks
US President Donald Trump confirmed on Sunday that Iran's new leadership has expressed willingness to engage in direct talks. "They want to speak and I have agreed to talk, so I will talk to them," Trump told The Atlantic magazine. He declined to specify a timeline for the negotiations, but criticized Tehran for not acting sooner. "They should have done it sooner. They could have reached an agreement," he said.
Trump also noted that many of the Iranian officials previously involved in back-channel negotiations are no longer alive. In a separate interview with Fox News, the US president claimed that 48 senior Iranian leaders had been killed in the joint US-Israeli strikes. "No one can believe the success we have. Forty-eight leaders have died in an instant," he said, adding that operations were "progressing quickly."
Speaking to CNBC, Trump described the military campaign as running "very well and faster than planned," calling the Islamic Republic "one of the most violent regimes in history." He suggested a possible path to ending the conflict but said it depended on "many variables."
The diplomatic signals came alongside a sharp warning from Riyadh. Saudi Arabia announced its military forces are fully prepared for a retaliatory response should Iranian attacks on the kingdom persist. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman described the Islamic Republic's recent strikes on Saudi territory as a provocation, emphasizing that Saudi airspace had not been used for operations against Iran. CNN's Nick Robertson characterized the Saudi stance as "a really new and great step," noting that the Iranian attacks had likely angered the crown prince.
On the ground, Israeli forces continued to intensify their campaign inside Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking at the defense ministry in Tel Aviv, said Israeli forces were now "battling the heart of Tehran." He announced the destruction of the General Staff of Iran's Police Force and the headquarters of the IRGC's Sarallah command center. Netanyahu also addressed the Iranian people directly in Farsi, urging them to "take to the streets with your millions to finish the job."
The Pentagon confirmed that four B-2 stealth bombers had carried out strikes on Iran's underground ballistic missile facilities, dropping dozens of 2,000-pound bombs before returning to base. US Central Command released footage of the operation, stating: "No nation should ever doubt America's determination."
Germany also weighed in, with Chancellor Friedrich Mertz calling on Iran to "immediately end these blind attacks." He expressed hope that military operations would conclude swiftly, allowing commercial shipping to resume safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz—where Iranian forces reportedly attacked and sank the tanker Skylight, injuring four crew members.
Meanwhile, exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi urged Iranians to prepare for mass mobilization, while inside Iran, a newly formed council of Revolutionary Guards officials reportedly began organizing governance following the reported death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Human rights groups called for the immediate release of political prisoners, warning that thousands of detainees face mortal danger under ongoing bombardment.