Trump Warns Iran Ahead of Nuclear Talks, Urges Deal

Washington DC:

US President Donald Trump on Monday (local time) urged Iran to act “reasonable” in the next round of nuclear talks, as both countries prepare for a fresh meeting in Geneva, Switzerland.

Speaking to reporters, Trump said he will be involved indirectly in the negotiations and stressed that the upcoming round will be “very important.”

Trump said Iran is a “tough negotiator,” but claimed Tehran has made poor decisions in the past. He referred to the June 2025 B-2 bomber strikes, saying a deal could have been reached instead of military action.

“We could have had a deal instead of sending out B-2s to knock out their nuclear potential,” Trump said, adding that he hopes Iran will be more reasonable this time.

Trump also warned Iran about the consequences of failing to reach an agreement. He said Iran wants a deal and may not want to face what happens if negotiations collapse.

Trump further claimed the US strikes had reduced the threat in the region. He said the Middle East is mostly stable, though small conflicts may still occur.

The next round of talks is scheduled for Tuesday (local time) and is expected to be mediated by Oman, according to reports. According to the reports US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to attend.

The talks follow earlier rounds held in April 2025, including meetings in Muscat, Oman, and Rome, Italy.

However, negotiations were disrupted after Israel launched surprise strikes on Iran, leading to a 12-day war. The United States later joined the conflict and bombed Iranian nuclear sites.

During the June 21–22, 2025 operation, called “Operation Midnight Hammer,” the US targeted three key Iranian nuclear locations: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.

Iran strongly condemned the strikes, calling them a violation of international law and the UN Charter.

Meanwhile, Iran’s foreign ministry said on Monday that the US position on Iran’s nuclear issue has become “more realistic.”

The United States and several European countries believe Iran’s nuclear programme could be aimed at developing a nuclear weapon. Iran has repeatedly denied this and says its programme is for peaceful purposes.

Washington has also pushed for other issues to be discussed in the talks, including Iran’s ballistic missile programme and its support for armed groups in the Middle East.