President Donald Trump said on Monday that Iranian leaders are currently approaching nuclear negotiations in a measured and thoughtful way.
Addressing the topic of Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Trump stated, “We’ll see what we’re going to do. With respect to Iran. I think very good things are happening there.”
He followed up by saying, “They can’t have a nuclear weapon, but I think that they are talking intelligently.” Trump emphasized that discussions are ongoing, noting, “We’re in the midst of talking to them, and they’re right now acting very intelligent. We want Iran to be wealthy and wonderful and happy and great, but they can’t have a nuclear weapon.”
Although Iranian leaders were initially dismissive of U.S. demands over the weekend—particularly concerning Washington’s opposition to Iran maintaining any uranium enrichment capabilities—by Sunday, the rhetoric on both sides appeared to soften, with each indicating that the dialogue was beginning to show signs of progress.
Any developments seen as movement toward a deal could trigger alarm in Israel, where officials are deeply concerned that Trump may be heading toward an agreement they view as too lenient—one that could leave Iran with the infrastructure to eventually obtain nuclear weapons and increase its military strength once economic sanctions are lifted.
Turning to another major diplomatic issue, Trump commented on the scheduled meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He expressed optimism, calling it a promising opportunity. The summit is expected to take place Thursday in Istanbul, with Turkish President Erdogan serving as mediator.
Zelensky has stated he will be present, but linked his attendance to a cease-fire lasting 30 days—a condition that has yet to be fulfilled. Trump, taking credit for helping initiate the summit, hinted at the possibility of personally attending, despite already having plans to visit Qatar and the UAE. He had kind words for Erdogan, calling him an excellent host, and mentioned that the Turkish leader had asked him to consider removing U.S. sanctions on Syria—an appeal Trump said he might entertain to give the post-Assad leadership a clean slate.
{Matzav.com}