Trump Warns Iran Against Pursuing Nuclear Weapons

Former U.S. President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Iran on Monday, declaring that the Islamic Republic must abandon any ambition to develop nuclear weapons or face the possibility of military action targeting its atomic facilities.

Speaking to reporters following a meeting between U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and a senior Iranian official in Oman, Trump dismissed the diplomatic efforts as stalling tactics. “I think they’re tapping us along,” he said. “Iran has to get rid of the concept of a nuclear weapon. They cannot have a nuclear weapon.”

Trump was clear about the consequences of noncompliance. When asked if military strikes on Tehran’s nuclear sites were on the table, he responded, “Of course it does.”

Despite Trump’s skepticism, both American and Iranian officials described Saturday’s meeting in Oman as “constructive.” A follow-up meeting is reportedly planned for this coming Saturday, likely in Rome, according to sources familiar with the talks.

The discussions aim to lay the groundwork for a possible future agreement a daunting task given the long-standing mistrust between the two nations. Trump pulled the U.S. out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal during his presidency, criticizing it as deeply flawed. Since then, Iran has steadily accelerated its nuclear program, bringing it closer to weapon-grade enrichment capabilities.

“They’re fairly close,” Trump warned, stressing the urgency of a decisive response.

Trump’s comments underscore a significant departure from the approach taken under previous administrations. While President Biden’s team attempted indirect negotiations with Iran during his tenure, those efforts yielded little progress. The most significant engagement between the two nations remains the Obama-era nuclear deal, which Trump dismantled in 2018.

The stakes are high not only for regional stability but also for Israel, which views a nuclear-armed Iran as an existential threat. As Iran pushes the limits of nuclear development, global leaders and allies are watching closely.

Israel has long maintained that it will not tolerate a nuclear Iran and reserves the right to act if diplomacy fails. Trump’s renewed hardline stance echoes this sentiment, reinforcing the shared goal of preventing Tehran from ever becoming a nuclear power.

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