US President Donald Trump says Iran has agreed not to pursue nuclear weapons following what he described as “good talks,” raising the prospect of a deal despite ongoing military tensions.
“They can’t have nuclear weapons,” Trump said. “They’ve agreed to that, among other things.”
Speaking from the Oval Office, he said negotiations were in “good shape” and that Iran “want to make a deal badly.”
“It’s very possible that we’ll make a deal,” he added.
The developments come as the US military confirmed a Navy warplane fired on an Iranian oil tanker attempting to breach Washington’s blockade of Iranian ports, with the vessel’s rudder disabled.
Trump has maintained the blockade will continue while Iran restricts movement through the Strait of Hormuz, though he announced a temporary pause of “Project Freedom,” a US-led operation to guide ships through the strait, citing “great progress” in negotiations.
Earlier, Trump issued a stark ultimatum, warning Iran to agree to terms or face renewed military action.
“If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before.”
He also said any deal would involve Iran transferring enriched uranium to the United States, stating: “No, not perhaps. It goes to the United States,” despite Tehran’s longstanding refusal to relinquish its stockpile.
While expressing optimism about reaching an agreement before a planned trip to China, Trump cautioned it was “too soon” to consider face-to-face talks.
“I think it’s got a very good chance of ending, and if it doesn’t end, we have to go back to bombing the hell out of them,” he told PBS.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi meanwhile held talks in Beijing with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, reviewing ongoing negotiations and calling for a post-war regional framework, while Beijing urged both sides to reopen the strait “as soon as possible.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said offensive operations against Iran had concluded, with attention shifting to securing maritime routes.
“The operation is over. Epic Fury… we’re done with that stage of it,” he said.
Despite the diplomatic progress, US and Israeli officials are reportedly considering a “short campaign” against Iran if talks collapse, underscoring the fragile nature of the negotiations.
Markets reacted positively to signs of de-escalation, with global oil prices falling below US$100 a barrel.
Source: The Advertiser.
