The White House, responding to Iran's rejection of President Donald Trump's call to negotiate a nuclear agreement, on Saturday reiterated Trump's assertion that Tehran can be dealt with either militarily or by making a deal.

"We hope the Iran Regime puts its people and best interests ahead of terror," White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said in a statement, after Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Tehran will not be bullied into negotiations.