SRINAGAR: US President Donald Trump issued a stark ultimatum to Iran on Tuesday, declaring that the Islamic Republic must choose between diplomatic engagement and escalating pressure, as Washington pushes for a deal to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. “This is an offer that will not last forever. The time is right now for them to choose — right now,” Trump said during an address to a Saudi investment forum, according to CNN.
Speaking at the Future Investment Initiative alongside Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Trump insisted that Iran “can never have a nuclear weapon.” He added: “If Iran’s leadership rejects this olive branch and continues to attack their neighbours, then we will have no choice but to inflict massive, maximum pressure … and take all action required to stop the regime from ever having a nuclear weapon”.
Trump’s remarks came as indirect talks between Iran and the United States continue under Omani mediation. Four rounds have taken place so far, including one as recently as Sunday, according to CNN. Leading the American side is Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East. Despite the lack of concrete breakthroughs, the continuation of high-level engagement marks a significant development after years of diplomatic chill.
In a separate interview aired Tuesday on Fox News, Trump reinforced his dual-pronged approach: “They won’t be a nuclear power. Let me just explain. I’m all for Iran. I want them to have a wonderful country and make a lot of money,” he said, adding that diplomacy remained his preferred path but not at the cost of American or allied security.
As Fox News noted, the ongoing talks are attempting to reconcile Iran’s desire to maintain uranium enrichment, which it claims is for peaceful purposes, with Washington’s insistence that such capabilities cross a “red line.”
The president also used his Riyadh platform to reframe American foreign policy in the region. In what The Washington Post described as “his strongest terms yet” on the issue, Trump declared a major shift: lifting sanctions on Syria’s new government. “To give them a chance at greatness,” Trump said, citing a personal request from the Saudi crown prince.
The sanctions, originally imposed during the rule of Bashar al-Assad, remained in place after Assad’s ouster last year. Trump’s move to remove them signals a significant policy reversal. A White House official told The Washington Post that Trump plans to “say hello” to Syria’s new President, Ahmed al-Sharaa, before flying to Qatar.
“I don’t like permanent enemies,” Trump said during the forum, quoted by CNN. “Enemies get you motivated. But I want to make a deal with Iran. I can make a deal with Iran. I’ll be very happy if we’re going to make your region and the world a safer place.”
Trump’s second-term foreign trip, which began with a red-carpet welcome in Riyadh, reflected a combination of geopolitical ambition and business acumen. As The Washington Post reported, he spent much of his time seeking investment deals for US firms, accompanied by American business leaders and tech executives.
However, his strategic overtures to Iran and Syria have stirred tensions with traditional US allies, particularly Israel. The Washington Post noted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “already smarting” from Trump’s failure to visit Israel during this Middle East tour, a snub that now follows two policy moves strongly opposed by the Israeli leader.
Nevertheless, Trump appeared unbothered. “Some of the closest friends of the United States of America are nations we fought wars against in generations past,” he said, suggesting a realignment based on pragmatism over ideology. Still, he drew a hard line: “There will be no mercy for any foe who tries to do us or our allies harm.”
Standing beside Saudi leadership, Trump summed up his worldview with characteristic bravado: “In the end, the so-called nation builders wrecked far more nations than they built,” he said, quoted by The Washington Post. “And the interventionists were intervening in complex societies that they did not even understand themselves.”
The question now is whether Iran will accept Trump’s overture — or reject it and face the consequences. As Trump warned, the clock is ticking. “The choice is theirs,” he said.
