Trump establishes deadline for Iran deal, reports say
Washington may consider alternative measures if its demands go unaddressed, cautioned the US president’s deputy national security adviser. Reports from several US sources, including CNN and Axios, claim that President Donald Trump has imposed...
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Washington may consider alternative measures if its demands go unaddressed, cautioned the US president’s deputy national security adviser.
Reports from several US sources, including CNN and Axios, claim that President Donald Trump has imposed a two-month deadline for Iran to negotiate a new agreement regarding its nuclear program. Furthermore, US Deputy National Security Adviser Brian Hughes indicated that Washington is prepared to pursue other strategies if diplomatic efforts do not succeed.
During his initial term, Trump withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which had facilitated negotiations concerning the Iranian nuclear program, and reintroduced sanctions against Iran.
Recently, Trump affirmed that he had sent a letter to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, proposing the reopening of negotiations and outlining a two-month timeframe. This correspondence was reportedly delivered by US Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, to United Arab Emirates President Mohammed Bin Zayed, who subsequently passed it on to Iran. The specifics regarding whether the deadline aligns with the letter's delivery date or the commencement of talks remain unclear.
“President Trump made it clear to Ayatollah Khamenei that he wanted to resolve the dispute over Iran’s nuclear program diplomatically – and very soon – and if this was not possible, there would be other ways to resolve the dispute,” Hughes stated to CNN and the New York Post.
In a recent discussion with Fox News, Trump remarked that “there are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal.” Reports suggest that Washington may contemplate a military strike against Iranian nuclear facilities in the event that its demands are dismissed or if talks do not materialize.
Earlier in March, Khamenei criticized US requests for nuclear negotiations, describing them as an effort to “exert their dominance and impose what they want” rather than to “solve issues.” He also rejected Trump’s threats of military action.
Following the US exit from the JCPOA and the reinstatement of sanctions, Iran has progressively reduced its compliance with the 2015 agreement. In December 2024, Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, remarked that Iran was “dramatically” increasing its uranium enrichment to levels of up to 60% purity, a situation he found “very concerning.” Uranium must reach approximately 90% purity to be classified as weapons-grade.
In March, Khamenei maintained that any claims against Iran regarding its supposed failure to adhere to the deal were “fundamentally flawed when divorced from the full context of the US withdrawal.” Iran has consistently denied any aspirations for nuclear weapons, asserting that its nuclear program is entirely for peaceful purposes.
Navid Kalantari contributed to this article for TROIB News
Reports from several US sources, including CNN and Axios, claim that President Donald Trump has imposed a two-month deadline for Iran to negotiate a new agreement regarding its nuclear program. Furthermore, US Deputy National Security Adviser Brian Hughes indicated that Washington is prepared to pursue other strategies if diplomatic efforts do not succeed.
During his initial term, Trump withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which had facilitated negotiations concerning the Iranian nuclear program, and reintroduced sanctions against Iran.
Recently, Trump affirmed that he had sent a letter to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, proposing the reopening of negotiations and outlining a two-month timeframe. This correspondence was reportedly delivered by US Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, to United Arab Emirates President Mohammed Bin Zayed, who subsequently passed it on to Iran. The specifics regarding whether the deadline aligns with the letter's delivery date or the commencement of talks remain unclear.
“President Trump made it clear to Ayatollah Khamenei that he wanted to resolve the dispute over Iran’s nuclear program diplomatically – and very soon – and if this was not possible, there would be other ways to resolve the dispute,” Hughes stated to CNN and the New York Post.
In a recent discussion with Fox News, Trump remarked that “there are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal.” Reports suggest that Washington may contemplate a military strike against Iranian nuclear facilities in the event that its demands are dismissed or if talks do not materialize.
Earlier in March, Khamenei criticized US requests for nuclear negotiations, describing them as an effort to “exert their dominance and impose what they want” rather than to “solve issues.” He also rejected Trump’s threats of military action.
Following the US exit from the JCPOA and the reinstatement of sanctions, Iran has progressively reduced its compliance with the 2015 agreement. In December 2024, Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, remarked that Iran was “dramatically” increasing its uranium enrichment to levels of up to 60% purity, a situation he found “very concerning.” Uranium must reach approximately 90% purity to be classified as weapons-grade.
In March, Khamenei maintained that any claims against Iran regarding its supposed failure to adhere to the deal were “fundamentally flawed when divorced from the full context of the US withdrawal.” Iran has consistently denied any aspirations for nuclear weapons, asserting that its nuclear program is entirely for peaceful purposes.
Navid Kalantari contributed to this article for TROIB News
