As the massive military builds up its presence in the Middle East near Tehran, United States President Donald Trump has warned Iran that a deal on its nuclear program should be struck within the next 10 days or “bad things” will happen – suggesting the United States could take action against the country if a deal is not reached.
While Donald Trump said US-Iran talks were going well, he insisted that Tehran must reach a “meaningful” deal. It also fueled fears of a wider war.
“Otherwise bad things happen,” Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to attack Iran, said at the first meeting of his peace council in Washington on Thursday (February 19). Follow LIVE updates on Iran-US tensions here
Referring to US airstrikes carried out in June 2025, Trump said Iran’s nuclear potential had been “decimated”, adding “we may or may not have to take a step further”. Without elaborating further, Donald Trump said: “You will find out in probably the next 10 days.
The United States has threatened to bomb Iran even as both sides negotiate.
Iranian and American negotiators met on Tuesday, February 17, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said they had agreed on “main principles.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday, however, that the two sides remain separate on some issues.
After the talks, Donald Trump said “there are good talks going on. They can’t have a nuclear weapon, it’s very simple. You can’t have peace in the Middle East if they have a nuclear weapon.”
Iran has resisted making major concessions on its nuclear program, though it insists it is for peaceful purposes. The US and Israel have in the past accused Tehran of trying to develop a nuclear bomb. Earlier on Thursday, Russia warned of an “unprecedented escalation of tensions” over Iran on Thursday and called for restraint amid a US military build-up in the region, which a senior US official said should be completed by mid-March.
According to CNN and CBS, the US military is ready to launch strikes against Iran as early as this weekend, but Trump has yet to make a final decision. Russia and Iran have also conducted naval exercises in the Sea of Oman to deter any “unilateral action” in the region.
According to reports, the United States has deployed up to 13 warships in the Middle East. That includes one aircraft carrier – the USS Abraham Lincoln – nine destroyers and three littoral combat ships, AFP quoted a US official as saying.
(With inputs from Reuters)