President Donald Trump mentioned Monday he might be “not directly” concerned in Tuesday’s high-stakes nuclear talks with Iran in Geneva, expressing confidence Tehran desires “to make a deal” whereas warning that he doesn’t consider the regime desires “the implications of not making a deal” as U.S. navy forces proceed constructing stress throughout the Center East.
Talking to reporters aboard Air Power One as he returned to the White Home, Trump framed the talks as pivotal — a renewed diplomatic push unfolding alongside seen American pressure posture and contingency planning ought to negotiations fail.
“I’ll be concerned in these talks, not directly. And so they’ll be crucial,” Trump mentioned. “We’ll see what can occur.”
Calling Iran “a really powerful negotiator,” Trump argued the regime miscalculated in prior rounds.
“I’d say they’re dangerous negotiators as a result of we might have had a deal as a substitute of sending the B-2s in to knock out their nuclear potential — and we needed to ship the B-2s,” he mentioned, referencing final yr’s U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear services following stalled diplomacy.
Requested about assessments that reaching an settlement could also be “subsequent to inconceivable,” Trump pushed again.
“No, no. I believe they wish to make a deal,” he mentioned. “I don’t suppose they need the implications of not making a deal. They wish to make a deal.”
Tuesday’s talks in Geneva will contain Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, with Oman once more serving as mediator following the primary spherical held in Muscat. Iran might be represented by Overseas Minister Abbas Araghchi, who arrived in Switzerland main what Tehran described as a diplomatic and technical delegation.
Araghchi met Monday with Worldwide Atomic Power Company Director Basic Rafael Grossi for what each side characterised as substantive technical discussions forward of the renewed oblique negotiations.
Writing on X, Araghchi mentioned he was in Geneva “with actual concepts to realize a good and equitable deal,” including pointedly, “What isn’t on the desk: submission earlier than threats.”
Iran’s deputy overseas minister, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, echoed that posture, saying, “The ball is in America’s courtroom.” Tehran, he indicated, is ready to debate components of its nuclear program — together with enrichment ranges and stockpiles — offered sanctions aid is a part of the dialog.
“We’re prepared to debate this and different points associated to our program, offered that also they are prepared to speak in regards to the sanctions,” he mentioned.
The diplomatic monitor is unfolding towards a sharpened American navy backdrop.
A New York Instances report on Friday detailed how the Pentagon has used the diplomatic window to strengthen each offensive and defensive capabilities within the area, shifting extra air defenses, naval belongings, and strike platforms into place whereas making ready choices that might prolong past nuclear websites if ordered.
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