US President Donald Trump

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has said it is “possible” that the United States could get involved in the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel. He also revealed he is open to Russian President Vladimir Putin mediating in the crisis.

In an off-camera interview with ABC News senior political correspondent Rachel Scott, Trump noted that while the U.S. is “not at this moment” involved militarily, the situation remains fluid.

“It’s possible we could get involved,” Trump said, adding that Putin had called him to discuss the possibility of playing a mediating role. “He is ready. He called me about it. “We had a long talk about it,” he added.

The interview, which had not been previously publicised, was released Sunday as Israel and Iran exchanged a third consecutive day of heavy aerial assaults, resulting in mounting casualties and further regional tension.

Israel’s strikes have reportedly targeted Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure, drawing retaliatory attacks from Tehran. The escalation has raised fears of a wider Middle East conflict.

Trump also commented on the stalled nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, saying discussions are still ongoing despite the cancellation of a sixth round of talks originally planned to take place in Oman over the weekend.

“No, there’s no deadline,” Trump said when asked if there was a timeline for Iran to return to the negotiating table. “But they are talking. They’d like to make a deal. They continue to talk.”

The former president suggested that the rising military tensions between Iran and Israel might accelerate diplomatic efforts, saying the current clashes “may have forced a deal to go quicker, actually.”