Trump: Iran deal clarity in 10 days, warns 'bad things happen' without agreement

2026-02-19 - 22:12

President Donald Trump declared Thursday that the viability of a nuclear agreement with Iran will become evident within approximately 10 days, warning that Washington may be forced to escalate if negotiations fail to produce a "meaningful deal." Speaking at the inaugural Board of Peace meeting in Washington, Trump said the situation would likely clarify "over the next probably 10 days," as his envoys continue dialogue with Iranian representatives. Diplomatic Progress and Red Lines Trump reported that his negotiators, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, have built a solid working relationship with their Iranian counterparts and that "good talks are being had." However, he remained unequivocal on the core US demand: "They can't have a nuclear weapon. It's very simple. You can't have peace in the Middle East if they have a nuclear weapon." Vice President JD Vance described Tuesday's Geneva talks as productive "in some ways" but noted Tehran remains unwilling to engage on Trump's red lines, while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi characterized the atmosphere as "more constructive." Carrot and Stick The president framed the choice for Tehran in stark terms. "Now is the time for Iran to join us on a path that will complete what we're doing," he said. "If they join us, that'll be great. If they don't join us, that'll be great too, but it'll be a very different path." Trump acknowledged that reaching agreement with Iran has historically proven difficult but insisted "we have to make a meaningful deal. Otherwise, bad things happen." He credited last June's US B-2 bomber strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities with creating the current moment of relative calm, claiming the attacks "totally decimated" Iran's nuclear potential. Military Pressure The diplomatic timeline unfolds against significant US military buildup in the region, including deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier en route, accompanied by additional fighter jets. Trump argued that removing the nuclear threat had been decisive in bringing about what he described as peace in the Middle East, calling it "the biggest thing of all." His 10-day horizon sets an effective deadline for Tehran to demonstrate whether it can meet US terms before Washington considers moving to what he has consistently characterized as a more forceful alternative.