President Donald Trump has confirmed that the United States is engaged in direct talks with Iran over its nuclear program and made it clear during a press appearance Monday that failure to reach a deal could result in dire consequences for the regime in Tehran.
Flanked by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office, Trump reiterated that both the U.S. and Israel remain united in their commitment to ensure Iran never develops a nuclear weapon.
“We’re having direct talks with Iran, and they’ve started,” Trump said. “On Saturday we have a very big meeting, and we’ll see what can happen, and I think everybody agrees that doing a deal would be preferable to doing the obvious.”
The “obvious,” of course, being military action—something both Trump and Netanyahu say they hope to avoid, but are prepared to pursue if diplomacy fails. “It’s getting to be very dangerous territory,” Trump warned.
He made clear that the ball is now in Iran’s court.
“Hopefully, those talks will be successful,” Trump said. “And I think it would be in Iran’s best interest if they are successful.” He added that if the negotiations do not result in a deal, “Iran is going to be in great danger.”
“I hate to say it,” Trump continued, “but great danger — because they can’t have a nuclear weapon.”
The remarks come just days after Trump launched another round of airstrikes on Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen. Last week, the president posted footage of a strike targeting a group of Houthis who were reportedly planning attacks on U.S. naval forces. “Oops, there will be no attack by these Houthis!” Trump declared in a video caption. “They will never sink our ships again!”
That military pressure appears to be having an impact. The UK Telegraph reported that Iran has begun withdrawing military personnel from Yemen to avoid a direct confrontation with the U.S. A senior Iranian official cited by the paper said the move was intended to reduce the risk of an Iranian soldier being killed in a U.S. strike — an event that could trigger a full-blown escalation.
Despite the growing tension, Trump emphasized that his preferred outcome remains a negotiated solution — but one that fully prevents Iran from achieving nuclear capability.
Netanyahu echoed the urgency of the situation, stating unequivocally that Israel would never tolerate a nuclear-armed Iran. The Israeli leader praised the Trump administration’s resolve and emphasized the need for continued pressure.
Analysts see the revived talks as a major diplomatic gamble. Trump’s critics, especially from the Obama-era foreign policy class, are already raising alarms about potential brinkmanship. But supporters say the strategy is working, pointing to Iran’s de-escalation in Yemen and mounting diplomatic engagement as signs that the regime is feeling the heat.
What’s clear is that this isn’t 2015. There will be no pallets of cash, no secret side deals, and no appeasement. The Trump-Netanyahu approach is driven by a clear message: abandon your nuclear ambitions or face the full weight of U.S. and Israeli resolve.
Saturday’s meeting between U.S. and Iranian officials could determine whether diplomacy has a future — or whether the Middle East is on the verge of another major military conflict. Either way, Trump has made the stakes crystal clear.