US President Donald Trump has told the BBC that “whatever I’m doing, it seems to be working very well” when asked about his threats towards Iran.

The BBC’s North America editor, Sarah Smith, has spoken to the president in a brief phone call, in which she asked if his statement earlier this month that “a whole civilisation will die tonight” was a threat to use nuclear weapons against Iran.

“The other side is dying to make a deal,” he responds. “So whatever I’m saying or whatever I’m doing, it seems to be working very well. Thank you very much.”

On Nato, Trump says the US “didn’t need them at all” in its war with Iran but that they “should’ve been there”.

When Smith asked why, then, he wanted them to join the war, Trump replies: “Because I wanted to see whether or not they would be involved.”

He asserts hasthe US has “always been for” the UK and Nato and criticised the UK for not making “at least a minimal effort and at least nicer words”.

Trump adds that “many people from the UK” have let his administration know how “incredibly bad a decision” it was for the UK to not get involved in the war — the UK has only allowed the US to use its bases for “defensive” air strikes.

Earlier in the call, Trump said he believed his relationship with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer could “recover” if he “opened the North Sea” and if his “immigration policies became strong” — but added that “if he doesn’t, I don’t think he has a chance”.