President Donald Trump has given Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei a two-month deadline to negotiate a new nuclear deal.
According to a report by Axios, Anadolu Agency reports, a letter sent by Trump to Khamenei, detailing the terms of the negotiation, has been delivered through a diplomatic chain, including Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The UAE then passed the letter on to Iranian officials.
Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire for a diplomatic resolution to the nuclear dispute, but has warned that if Iran does not engage in talks, alternative measures may be pursued.
A National Security Council spokesperson, Brian Hughes, confirmed the urgency of the deadline, stating, “President Trump made it clear to Ayatollah Khamenei that he wanted to resolve the dispute over Iran’s nuclear program diplomatically – and very soon.”
Trump’s efforts come amid escalating concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The former president also discussed the issue during a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, underscoring the importance of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
The two leaders agreed on the need for continued cooperation in the Middle East to prevent future conflicts and proliferation.
The letter’s delivery follows a long-standing tension between the US and Iran, particularly since Trump withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal during his first term. Trump’s administration reimposed stringent sanctions on Iran, aiming to curb its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
Iran, however, has shown resistance to further negotiations. Khamenei recently dismissed calls for talks from “bully states,” arguing that these efforts were aimed at imposing dominance rather than resolving issues.
In response to the letter, the Iranian Foreign Ministry stated it was reviewing Trump’s message, but Khamenei has already rejected what he referred to as "bullying tactics" from the US. The possibility of military action, either by the US or Israel, remains on the table if negotiations fail.
During a speech earlier this month, Trump told Fox News, “There are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal. I would prefer to make a deal, because I’m not looking to hurt Iran.”
The Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” strategy seeks to isolate Iran both economically and diplomatically. Trump has also demanded that Iran cease its support for the Houthi rebels in Yemen, vowing to take further action against the group.
The two-month deadline underscores the increasing urgency of the situation and the pressure on Iran to decide whether to return to the negotiating table or face potentially severe consequences.
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