Trump ‘not thrilled’ with Iran after latest talks on nuclear programme
Trump ‘not thrilled’ with Iran after latest talks on nuclear programme
Following the breakdown of negotiations in Geneva, US President Donald Trump stated he was not content with Iran’s position on its nuclear program. While he hasn’t confirmed plans for military action, he described his dissatisfaction with Tehran’s refusal to meet US demands. “I’m not happy with the fact that they’re not willing to give us what we have to have. So I’m not thrilled,” Trump remarked in his initial remarks on the talks, which concluded without an agreement.
Concerns over the possibility of US strikes against Iran prompted several nations to issue travel advisories. The UK temporarily evacuated embassy staff in Tehran and recommended caution for non-essential travel to Israel. Similarly, China, India, and Canada advised their citizens to depart Iran swiftly, while Germany and France emphasized the risk of conflict in their respective warnings.
“I’m not happy with the fact that they’re not willing to give us what we have to have. So I’m not thrilled,” Trump said in his first comments on negotiations in Geneva that broke up on Thursday without a deal.
Meanwhile, the US embassy in Israel informed staff they could leave the country, suggesting it might be wise to do so while commercial flights were available. This followed a broader US effort to reduce its presence in Lebanon after a security assessment. The Trump administration has also deployed a significant military presence to the region, including two aircraft carriers and fighter jets, marking the largest buildup in the Middle East since 2003.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described “good progress” in the talks but noted unresolved differences. He confirmed that further discussions would take place in Vienna next week. The UN’s nuclear watchdog agency, however, reported being denied access to Iran’s enrichment sites since the US bombing in June, raising concerns about transparency.
State Department officials announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would visit Israel to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, focusing on regional priorities like Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Vice-President JD Vance echoed Trump’s stance, acknowledging military strikes were still an option but emphasizing the preference for diplomatic solutions. “We all prefer the diplomatic option,” Vance stated, “but it depends on what the Iranians do and say.”
Trump had previously set a deadline for the world to determine the outcome of negotiations by early March. He warned that failure to reach an agreement could lead to “bad things” and hinted at the possibility of a military response if Iran continued its nuclear activities. Iran, in turn, claims its program is solely for peaceful purposes, though it has enriched uranium to levels close to weapons-grade in recent years.
The talks, which involved indirect negotiations, saw progress in certain areas but remained deadlocked on key terms. Oman’s foreign minister noted that both sides had made “significant progress,” yet the likelihood of avoiding war remains uncertain. As tensions escalate, the global community watches closely for the next steps in this high-stakes standoff.
