(NewsNation) — Television commentator Bill O’Reilly said President Donald Trump believes Iran‘s leadership will surrender and agree to nuclear weapons inspections rather than face American military action.

O’Reilly, author of the upcoming book “Confronting Evil,” said he texted with Trump and that the president “doesn’t want to use American air power at this point” because of potential complications with China and Russia. 

Instead, Trump expects Iranian leaders will agree to allow U.N. weapons inspectors into nuclear facilities and destroy their arsenal under international supervision, O’Reilly said.

“The mullahs don’t want to do that, obviously, but President Trump believes that will happen,” O’Reilly said Monday on NewsNation’s “On Balance.”

O’Reilly described a strategy of escalating pressure on Iran’s government, citing mass evacuations from Tehran as evidence that Iranian leaders are “panicking.” 

He said Trump’s approach involves waiting for the Iranian people to potentially overthrow their government rather than triggering “worldwide terrorism” through immediate military action.

The commentator said that Iran faces mounting internal pressure, including food shortages and public discontent, particularly among younger Iranians. He said NATO and the United States believe the Iranian people will eventually overthrow their government.

However, O’Reilly acknowledged that if Iran refuses to negotiate, “there’s a good chance U.S. bombers will go in and obliterate it.” He said Trump would need to convince Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept any deal with Iran, describing Netanyahu as “not an easy sell.”