Trump estimates 'guardian of Middle East' role at 20 percent of region's revenues

U.S. President Donald Trump told The New York Times (NYT) in an interview that Washington could either resume military attacks on Tehran or assume the role of "the guardian of the Middle East" in exchange for one-fifth of the region’s revenues, if negotiations on Iran's nuclear program collapse.

"Mr. Trump also insisted that if Iran failed to reach a final nuclear accord with the United States <…> he would restart military attacks on Tehran or make the United States 'the guardian of the Middle East' in return for 20 percent of the region’s revenues," the newspaper reported.

According to the NYT, the U.S. leader’s aides expect that a new stage of negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program will begin on Friday in Switzerland.