WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, the president claimed that Iranian officials are pleading for a peace summit with the White House, now that they are reportedly under significant pressure. He stated that he informed them it’s “very late” for negotiations, noting a marked change from a week ago.

The president, who has fluctuated publicly between seeking a diplomatic resolution with Iran and supporting Israel’s military actions against Iran’s nuclear facilities, emphasized that it’s “very late” for talks following six days of conflict involving Israel.

“I told them, it’s really late now. You know? I said it’s very late to be discussing peace. … There’s a big difference between now and a week ago,” he remarked while installing a new flagpole on the White House lawn.

He also commented, “Nothing’s too late. The only thing that is is [Federal Reserve Chair Jerome] Powell,” in reference to Powell’s hesitation to cut interest rates.

The president mentioned that Iranian representatives even proposed coming to the White House for talks, and that Russian President Vladimir Putin had offered to mediate.

“I told Vladimir, ‘Let’s mediate first through Russia. You can handle this later,’” he said.

“That’s a brave approach, but not an easy one for them,” he added.

He pointed out that Iran’s military stance is weak, saying, “They have no air defenses whatsoever, so they’re completely vulnerable.”

The president expressed appreciation for the Iranian people, noting he knows many in New York.

“They can be challenging, but so can you… They are intelligent people, and right now, they’re enduring a harsh situation,” he remarked.