Trump signals Iran deal may be near, but keeps war warning on the table
US President Donald Trump said Washington could return to direct talks with Iranian officials as early as this weekend, raising expectations of a possible deal. At the same time, he made clear that the threat of continued war still remains if no agreement is reached.
Fresh remarks from the White House have pushed Iran back to the center of the global agenda. Speaking before departing for Las Vegas, US President Donald Trump said negotiations with Tehran were moving forward and suggested a direct meeting could take place this weekend. While presenting an optimistic picture about a possible breakthrough, Trump also kept up his hard-line tone by warning that the war would continue if the talks collapsed.
Trump says a deal is within reach
Answering questions from reporters outside the White House, Trump said contacts with Iran were continuing in an intense and productive way. He indicated that the process had entered a crucial stage and suggested positive developments could come soon.
Trump said, “We are very close to making a deal with Iran. The next direct meeting with Iran could be this weekend. We are making a lot of agreements with Iran and I think there will be very positive developments soon.”
Nuclear issue at the center of the talks
One of the most striking parts of Trump’s remarks focused on Iran’s nuclear program. The US president claimed the agreement they hoped to finalize with Tehran would include a commitment that Iran would not possess nuclear weapons.
Trump said the new leadership in Iran had been easier to work with and added, “It is extremely important that Iran does not have nuclear weapons and they accepted that. Iran accepted that very clearly. They also agreed to return the underground nuclear remnants to us. So we have reached common ground with Iran on many issues.”
Trump points to Pakistan’s mediation role
Trump also underlined that the diplomatic effort was not limited to direct US-Iran contacts. He said Pakistan had played an important role in helping move the process forward and publicly thanked its leadership.
He said, “If the agreement is signed in Islamabad, I could go there.”
Deal hope paired with a war warning
Even as he repeated that Washington and Tehran were close to an agreement, Trump continued to pair diplomacy with open threats. His comments showed that while the door to a deal remains open, pressure on Iran is still very much part of the US approach.
Trump said, “If there is no agreement, the war will continue.” He also argued that Iran’s new leaders were different from their predecessors and appeared more willing to reach an understanding.
Iran discussed with Erdoğan and other regional leaders
Trump was also asked how he had discussed Iran with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and other leaders in the region. He responded by saying the United States was in contact with all key regional actors and that Iran remained one of the main issues on the table.
Trump said, “We are speaking with all the leaders in the region, we are discussing many issues, and we are close to making a deal with Iran.”
Trump also comments on Israel-Lebanon ceasefire
Alongside the Iran file, Trump also spoke about the expected 10-day temporary ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, which is set to begin at midnight. He said he had held very good phone calls with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump said, “Israel and Lebanon will meet at the White House next week or the week after, and I think we are very close to a deal. Issues related to Hezbollah will also be addressed in that agreement.”
Hezbollah to be included in the ceasefire
Asked directly whether Hezbollah would be part of the ceasefire arrangement, Trump gave a clear answer. He said the planned Israel-Lebanon ceasefire would also cover Hezbollah and suggested he expected the group to comply.
Trump said, “The Israel-Lebanon ceasefire agreement will also include Hezbollah. I believe they will follow the agreement as well.”
Trump hints at a future Lebanon visit
The US president also said he could visit Lebanon at the right time. He went on to claim that he had already ended nine wars and argued that the Israel-Lebanon conflict would become the tenth.
Trump’s remarks, combining optimism over Iran with bold statements on the broader region, signaled that Washington may be preparing for an intense new round of diplomacy in the Middle East in the days ahead.
