President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the United States may take next steps to resolve its standoff with Iran within the next 10 days, warning that “bad things are going to happen” if a “meaningful deal” is not reached.Speaking at a peace council event in Washington, Trump said talks with Iranian representatives were ongoing and described them as constructive, but warned that progress had historically been difficult.
Referring to U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who sat across from Trump, the president said, “They’re both good people, they both like them. They’ve had some very good meetings.” They had some very interesting meetings, and as you know, Iran is a hot spot right now, and they were having meetings and had a good relationship with the Iranian representatives.“Trump further warned that if a meaningful agreement is not reached within the next 10 days, the United States may escalate and take further measures,“And, you know, there are good negotiations going on. It’s proven over the years that it’s not easy to make a meaningful deal with Iran. We have to make a meaningful deal or bad things are going to happen,” Trump said. “So now we may or may not have to take further steps. Maybe we will reach an agreement. You will find out in the next 10 days,” he added.
First meeting of the Peace Commission
Trump held the first meeting of the Peace Commission at the Donald J. Trump Peace Institute in Washington, DC. Speaking at a meeting attended by several world leaders, Trump explained what the committee is trying to do. “What we’re doing is very simple – peace. That’s an easy word to say but a hard word to say. But we’re going to make it happen and we’ve been doing a great job and some of the leaders that I’ve been with have helped me a lot in that first year that we’ve never had… We have great relationships… I’m grateful for you guys being here.”
Rising tensions and military buildup
Trump’s comments come as tensions rise between Washington and Tehran. According to previous reports by Reuters, the United States has significantly increased its military presence in the Middle East, deploying aircraft carriers, fighter jets and additional defense systems to the region.Satellite images reviewed by Reuters also show Iran is fortifying key nuclear and missile-related sites, including fortifying tunnel entrances and adding concrete shielding at sensitive facilities. Tehran has always denied seeking nuclear weapons.The renewed push for a deal comes after years of tense diplomacy. Trump withdrew the United States from the 2015 nuclear deal during his first term and has since advocated for a new arrangement that he says must be stronger and more comprehensive. Efforts by former President Joe Biden to restore the earlier framework did not result in a final agreement.Both sides described recent talks between U.S. officials and Iranian representatives in Geneva as constructive, but senior U.S. officials said major differences remained.Trump’s 10-day timetable suggests a decision point may be coming soon. While he reiterated that a deal was still possible, his warning suggested that Washington was prepared to consider other options if talks failed.There are no official signs of immediate military action. In recent days, however, diplomatic deadlines, apparent troop deployments and ongoing nuclear tensions have been the focus of U.S.-Iran relations.
