Trump signals near breakthrough in Iran nuclear deal, Tehran considers uranium concessions
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U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States is on the verge of finalising a nuclear agreement with Iran.
Speaking at a business forum in Qatar, Trump hinted that Tehran had “sort of” accepted the deal’s terms, which would see Iran scale back its nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of American sanctions.
The potential deal, according to reports, includes Iran’s commitment to give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, confirmed to ABC News that such a concession is on the table if the U.S. agrees to remove economic sanctions.
Trump, addressing business leaders during his visit, framed the negotiations starkly, saying there were only two paths forward: "intelligent" diplomacy or "brutal" force. He emphasised the administration’s preference for a peaceful resolution, stating, “We’d like to see if we could solve the Iran problem in an intelligent way, as opposed to a brutal way.”
Despite issuing a warning to Tehran that military action remains an option, Trump clarified that the U.S. was not aiming for destructive conflict. “We’re getting close to maybe doing a deal without having to do this,” he said, in reference to military intervention.
The negotiations come amid growing tensions and multiple rounds of discussions aimed at averting an Israeli military strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities. Trump did not specify the source of his claim that Iran had agreed to the terms, but credited Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for facilitating the talks. Qatar, which shares a major offshore oil and gas field with Iran, has played a behind-the-scenes role in encouraging dialogue.
“Iran is very lucky to have the Emir,” Trump said, praising Sheikh Tamim for his diplomatic efforts. “He’s actually fighting for them. He says, ‘You can make a deal.’ He’s really pushing.”
In a surprising aside, Trump also noted Iran’s technical prowess, remarking that the country “makes good drones.”
Following Trump’s statements, global oil markets reacted swiftly, with Brent crude prices dropping over 3%. Prices fell by more than $2, slipping below $64 per barrel. Iran, which produces around 3 million barrels of oil per day and is the third-largest OPEC producer, remains under heavy sanctions imposed after Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement during his presidency.