The White House has said that any deal with Iran will have to prohibit enrichment of uranium by Tehran and eliminate its ability to achieve a nuclear weapon, Reuters reports.

“The president is always interested in a diplomatic solution … he is a peacemaker in chief. He is the peace through strength president. And so if there’s a chance for diplomacy, the president’s always going to grab it,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

“But he’s not afraid to use strength as well, I will add.”

Leavitt declined to say if Trump would seek congressional authorisation for any strikes on Iran. She said Washington remained convinced that Iran had never been closer to obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Leavitt said Trump had been briefed on the Israeli operation and Iran would face grave consequences if it did not agree to halt its work on a nuclear weapon.