Trump says Iran must give up dream of nuclear weapon or face harsh response
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
US President Donald Trump accused Iran of deliberately delaying a nuclear deal.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Follow topic:
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump said on April 14 he believes Iran is intentionally delaying a nuclear deal with the United States and that it must abandon any drive for a nuclear weapon or face a possible military strike on Tehran’s atomic facilities.
“I think they’re tapping us along,” Mr Trump told reporters after US special envoy Steve Witkoff met in Oman
Both Iran and the United States said on April 12 that they held “positive” and “constructive” talks in Oman. A second round is scheduled for April 12, and a source briefed on the planning said the meeting was likely to be held in Rome.
The source, speaking to Reuters on the condition of anonymity, said the discussions are aimed at exploring what is possible, including a broad framework of what a potential deal would look like.
“Iran has to get rid of the concept of a nuclear weapon. They cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Mr Trump said.
Asked if US options for a response include a military strike on Tehran’s nuclear facilities, Mr Trump said: “Of course it does.”
Mr Trump said the Iranians need to move fast to avoid a harsh response because “they’re fairly close” to developing a nuclear weapon.
The US and Iran held indirect talks during former president Joe Biden’s term but they made little, if any progress. The last known direct negotiations between the two governments were under then-president Barack Obama, who spearheaded the 2015 international nuclear deal that Mr Trump later abandoned. REUTERS
