President Donald Trump on Friday indicated a willingness to consider limited military action against Iran, even as Tehran signaled it expects to present a draft nuclear agreement to Washington within days. The conflicting signals approach amid heightened tensions and a build-up of U.S. Military presence in the region.
Responding to a question about potential military strikes while the U.S. And Iran negotiate, Trump stated, “I guess I can say I am considering that.” This statement followed Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s announcement on MSNOW’s “Morning Joe” program that Iran intends to finalize a draft deal within “the next two to three days” for submission to the United States. Araghchi expressed optimism, suggesting “in a matter of a week or so, we can start real, serious negotiations on the text and come to a conclusion.”
The Trump administration has been pressing for significant concessions from Iran, and has simultaneously increased the U.S. Military footprint in the West Asia, deploying additional warships and aircraft. According to Al Jazeera, both countries have indicated a readiness for war should negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program collapse. Araghchi affirmed this stance, stating, “We are prepared for war, and we are prepared for peace.”
Trump had previously stated that he believes 10 to 15 days is “enough time” for Iran to reach a deal, following recent indirect negotiations held in Geneva. However, talks have been stalled for years, with Iran refusing to address U.S. And Israeli demands to curtail its missile program and sever ties with regional armed groups.
A point of contention between the two nations centers on uranium enrichment. Araghchi claimed that U.S. Officials have not requested a cessation of uranium enrichment as part of the current discussions, a claim disputed by a White House official who, speaking on condition of anonymity, asserted that Trump has made clear Iran cannot possess nuclear weapons or the capacity to develop them, and cannot enrich uranium. CNN reported that Trump extended the negotiation timeline to 10-15 days.
Tehran maintains that any negotiations should be exclusively focused on its nuclear program and that it has not been enriching uranium since the U.S. And Israel conducted strikes on Iranian nuclear sites last June. Trump claimed at the time that these strikes had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear facilities, though the extent of the damage remains unconfirmed as Tehran has denied international inspectors access. Iran continues to assert that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes, a claim met with skepticism by the U.S. And other nations who suspect a weapons development agenda.
According to the BBC, Trump warned that the world has 10 days to notice if Iran agrees to a deal, or “bad things happen.”