Trump Limits Iran Nuclear Talks to One-Month Deadline, Says They "Must Reach a Deal Quickly"

"If No Deal Is Reached, Something Very Shocking Will Happen"

Associated Press Yonhap News

U.S. President Donald Trump has set a one-month deadline for nuclear negotiations with Iran and pressured Tehran by demanding a swift agreement.

On the 12th (local time), President Trump said at a press conference held at the White House regarding the negotiation timeline with Iran, "I guess, over the next month," and warned, "They have to make a deal very quickly. Otherwise, something very shocking will happen."

He went on to say, "I will talk with them as much as I want and see whether a deal can be reached," adding, "If it is not possible, we will have to move to phase two. Phase two will be very hard on them. I do not want to see that situation."

His remarks are being interpreted as pressure intended to steer the negotiations in his favor by once again stressing the possibility of exercising a military option against Iran. The previous day, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the U.S. Department of Defense is preparing to deploy a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East. President Trump on this day also posted a link to the WSJ report on his social networking service, Truth Social.

Meanwhile, the United States and Iran resumed nuclear negotiations in Oman on the 6th and are expected to hold a second round of talks as early as next week. President Trump also met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the previous day to discuss the details of the nuclear negotiations with Iran.

However, it is known that the gap between the positions of the United States and Iran remains wide. The United States and its allies in the Middle East maintain that, in addition to the Iranian nuclear issue, the negotiations must also cover limits on enriched uranium production, restrictions on the range of ballistic missiles, and the issue of Iranian support for terrorist organizations and proxy forces in the Middle East. Iran, however, is insisting that only the nuclear issue be discussed.