Las Vegas [US], August 6 (ANI): US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (local time) said the United States was 'doing the same thing' in Iran as it had done in Venezuela, while asserting that Washington would prefer to reach a deal with Tehran but would not allow the country to develop nuclear weapons.

Addressing a gathering in Las Vegas, Trump said the US had weakened Iran through recent military action but remained open to negotiations.

'In Venezuela, it was a 48-minute war, and we paid for the war with what we've taken out...to the victor belongs the spoils, and we are doing the same thing in the lovely Islamic Republic of Iran. We are knocking the hell out of them. I would rather make a deal, because I do not want to kill people,' Trump said.

The US President claimed that a much larger military operation had been planned but was halted after Iran sought talks.

'We were set for the biggest attack, since World War II, and they called me and they said, 'Please don't do it. Let's talk.' Then they said we never said that. You know what the fake news knows. They did say that, but we are talking. Let's see what happens,' he said.

Trump maintained that Iran respected the United States after recent developments and reiterated his long-standing position that Tehran must never acquire nuclear weapons.

'They respect us... No other president has done what should have been done a long time ago because Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,' he said.

Drawing a comparison with Venezuela, Trump also praised US immigration authorities while referring to action against the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

'ICE is among our greatest patriots... These guys, what they do when they have to get Tren de Aragua from Venezuela... But now, I love Venezuela. We are getting a lot of oil from Venezuela, and we're getting along great with them,' he said.

Trump described Venezuela as one of the world's richest oil-producing nations and said the United States had benefited from its engagement with Caracas.

His remarks came hours after he told reporters that 'a lot of progress' had been made in contacts with Iran and claimed Iranian officials had reached out seeking talks. Trump said the situation would become clearer within 48 hours, adding that Tehran would be 'very smart' to reach an agreement with Washington. (ANI)