Donald Trump said Friday he is “not happy” with the latest round of negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program but suggested he will allow additional time for talks to continue before deciding on possible military action.
Speaking to reporters as he departed the White House, Trump criticized Iran’s negotiating stance following another inconclusive round of indirect discussions in Geneva.
“I’m not happy with the fact that they’re not willing to give us what we have to have,” Trump said. “We’re not exactly happy with the way they’re negotiating. They cannot have nuclear weapons.”
Talks Continue Amid Rising Tensions
The remarks came a day after U.S. envoys met indirectly with Iranian officials in Switzerland, with mediation efforts led by Oman. While Trump’s comments struck a pessimistic tone, Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi publicly urged patience.
“If I was President Trump, my only advice is just to give those negotiators enough room, enough space to really close these remaining areas,” al-Busaidi said in a television interview, expressing optimism that a deal could still be within reach.
Trump reiterated that he opposes allowing Iran to enrich uranium at any level, arguing that the oil-rich nation does not need enrichment for civilian energy purposes. Iran, however, maintains that it has a sovereign right to enrich uranium for peaceful uses and denies seeking a nuclear weapon.
When asked how close he was to authorizing a military strike, Trump declined to provide specifics. “I’d rather not tell you,” he said, acknowledging that “when there’s war, there’s a risk of anything.”
U.S. Military Posture and Regional Diplomacy
As negotiations proceed, American forces have been repositioning in the region. Photos taken Friday showed observers along the coast near Haifa watching for the possible arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean.
Meanwhile, Marco Rubio is scheduled to travel to Israel early next week, according to the State Department. His visit will focus on Iran, Lebanon, and implementation of what the administration calls Trump’s “20-Point Peace Plan for Gaza.”
The U.S. Embassy in Israel has urged staff who wish to leave to depart, a move seen as precautionary amid fears of potential escalation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long advocated for tougher action against Iran and has warned that Israel would respond forcefully to any Iranian aggression.
UN Watchdog Raises Concerns
A confidential report from the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, seen by The Associated Press, stated that inspectors have not been granted access to certain sensitive nuclear sites in Iran since they were heavily bombed during a 12-day conflict launched by Israel last June.
The report said the agency could not independently verify Iran’s claim that it halted uranium enrichment following U.S. and Israeli strikes.
In a separate move Friday, Rubio declared Iran a “state sponsor of wrongful detention,” citing what he described as the continued imprisonment of Americans and other foreign nationals for political leverage. He warned that further measures could include restricting the use of U.S. passports for travel to or from Iran — a step currently applied to North Korea.
Waiting for the Next Round
Despite Trump’s public dissatisfaction, his comments — combined with Rubio’s upcoming trip — suggest that Washington is not yet ready to abandon diplomacy.
For now, negotiations appear set to continue, even as military options remain on the table and tensions simmer across the region.