DUBAI, May 15 (Alliance News): US President Donald Trump said Thursday that the United States is “very close” to securing a nuclear deal with Iran, claiming Tehran has “sort of” agreed to the terms, amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the longstanding nuclear dispute.
Speaking during a Gulf tour, Trump told reporters, “We’re in very serious negotiations with Iran for long-term peace.
We’re getting close to maybe doing a deal without having to do this… there are two steps to doing this — a very nice step and a violent step — but I don’t want to do it the second way.”
However, an Iranian source familiar with the negotiations told AFP that significant gaps remain between Tehran and Washington, especially on key issues such as uranium enrichment and sanctions relief.
Fresh rounds of indirect talks were recently held in Oman, with more expected in the coming weeks.
Tehran continues to publicly defend its right to enrich uranium, though it has expressed openness to reducing enrichment levels and limiting its stockpile of highly enriched uranium — but not below the terms agreed in the 2015 nuclear deal that Trump withdrew from in 2018.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian responded critically to Trump’s comments, accusing the US of double standards.
“Trump thinks he can sanction and threaten us and then talk of human rights. All the crimes and regional instability are caused by them (the United States). He wants to create instability inside Iran,” he said.
While both countries maintain that diplomacy is the preferred path, several sticking points remain. US officials have insisted Iran must halt uranium enrichment, a condition Iranian negotiators consider a “red line.”
Iran insists any reductions must occur in stages and that the location for offloading enriched uranium remains under dispute.
The Iranian side also says Washington has so far refused to lift major economic sanctions, a crucial demand for Tehran amid severe domestic economic pressures due to Western sanctions.
Despite the challenges, diplomatic sources say both sides appear motivated to avoid military confrontation and may seek a phased agreement to ease tensions and stabilize the region.
