President Donald Trump has reiterated his stance that Iran must not develop nuclear weapons, warning of potential military action if Tehran fails to comply. He emphasized that Israel would play a leading role in any such operation.
Trump stated, “I’m not asking for much … but they can’t have a nuclear weapon.” He added that if military intervention becomes necessary, “Israel will, obviously, be … the leader of that. No one leads us. We do what we want.”
When asked about when military action could begin, Trump stated, “I don’t want to be specific. But when you start talks, you know if they’re going along well or not. And I would say the conclusion would be when I think they’re not going along well.”
The President’s remarks come ahead of scheduled discussions between the U.S. and Iran concerning Tehran’s nuclear program. While Trump announced plans for direct negotiations, Iranian officials have indicated a preference for indirect talks mediated by Oman. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated that the discussions would involve mediation by Oman’s foreign minister, Badr al-Busaidi.
During his previous term, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, which was designed to limit Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Following the U.S. withdrawal, Iran expanded its uranium enrichment activities beyond the deal’s limits.
The international community remains divided on the approach to Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Russia, for instance, has cautioned against military threats, asserting that bombing Iran would not lead to peace and emphasizing the need for diplomatic solutions.
