US President Donald Trump has renewed his optimism about ongoing negotiations with Iran, saying a potential agreement is close and that significant progress could be made within days.
Speaking to reporters and in media interviews on Wednesday, Trump said talks with Tehran were moving in a positive direction despite repeated denials from Iranian officials that any major breakthrough has been achieved.
Trump said negotiations with Iran are going “very well” and expressed hope that a deal could be reached in the near future.
“I hear the negotiation itself is going very well actually,” Trump told reporters. Referring to the possibility of an agreement, he added: “It might not happen… It could happen over the weekend.”
In separate remarks, Trump said he expected some progress by the end of the week and remained hopeful about achieving further breakthroughs by the end of next week.
Focus on Iran’s nuclear programme
A central issue in the negotiations remains Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
Trump reiterated that Iran would never be allowed to acquire nuclear capability and said any agreement would ensure that Tehran’s enriched uranium is removed from the country.
“We will get” Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, Trump said, repeating his long-standing position that the material must not remain inside the Islamic Republic.
The US president also declared that Iran would never obtain nuclear weapons and claimed that Washington would ultimately destroy Iran’s uranium stockpile.
Trump has consistently argued that preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon is the primary objective of US policy.
Iran, however, continues to deny seeking nuclear arms and insists that its nuclear programme is intended for peaceful purposes. Tehran has also maintained throughout negotiations that it has the right to continue enriching uranium.
Supreme Leader involved in negotiations
Trump claimed that Iran’s Supreme Leader is directly involved in the negotiations with the United States.
He also suggested that a future meeting with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could be possible and hinted at the possibility of meeting Mojtaba Khamenei, the Supreme Leader’s son, at some stage.
The remarks come amid ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at ending months of conflict and easing tensions across the Middle East.
Lebanon conflict remains key issue
Trump also addressed the conflict involving Israel and Lebanon, saying he would prefer to separate those discussions from negotiations over the broader US-Iran conflict.
“I’d like to separate it, I’d like to have a separate thing because it is separate,” Trump told reporters.
His comments came hours before Washington announced that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a renewed ceasefire arrangement designed to establish pilot security zones controlled by the Lebanese army and free of Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters.
However, Tehran has continued to insist that developments in Lebanon and negotiations with the United States remain interconnected.
Trump says he intervened with Netanyahu
The US president revealed that he had personally intervened regarding Israeli military operations in Lebanon.
Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had concerns related to attacks in Lebanon and claimed he firmly instructed Israel not to carry out further bombing.
According to Trump, both Hezbollah and Israel provided assurances that they would refrain from launching attacks.
“We talked to Hezbollah for the first time, they agreed not to attack,” Trump said.
He added that Israel had also agreed not to attack and described the country as a major US partner.
“Israel is our great partner, they need us,” Trump said.
Trump also discussed the Strait of Hormuz, describing the blockade there as extremely strong. He argued that a successful agreement with Iran would help reopen the strategic waterway, which remains a critical route for global energy supplies.
“A deal with Iran will open the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump said.
The president also praised the performance of US B-bombers involved in military operations and reiterated Washington’s commitment to maintaining pressure on Tehran.
Criticism of Obama-era agreement
During his remarks, Trump once again criticised the nuclear agreement reached under former president Barack Obama, describing it as the worst deal with Iran.
He also accused CNN of inaccurately reporting developments surrounding the negotiations.
“CNN is reporting very wrongly,” Trump said.
Reports of funding concerns emerge
Meanwhile, CNN reported that Trump is reluctant to approve any future agreement that would involve direct US funding for Iran.
According to the report, discussions have included the possibility of establishing a fund that could provide billions of dollars to Iran following a final agreement.
CNN said Trump has informed advisers of his concerns regarding any arrangement that would result in direct American financial support to Tehran.
Despite continued disagreements over uranium enrichment, regional conflicts and sanctions, Trump maintained that negotiations are moving in the right direction.
His latest comments underscore growing expectations in Washington that diplomatic efforts could soon produce a framework agreement, even as Iranian officials continue to publicly reject suggestions that a breakthrough is imminent.
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