Trump Says US, Iran Closer to Nuclear Deal
President Donald Trump said the US may be close to reaching a deal with Iran to curb the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.
“I think we’re getting close to a deal,” Trump said in Qatar at an event with business leaders on Thursday. “You probably read in the news that Iran has agreed to the terms.”
Trump appeared to be referring to an NBC interview with Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, in which Shamkhani reiterated Tehran’s position that it was willing to limit uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief.
Oil prices plunged on Trump and Shamkhani’s comments, with Brent down 2.8% to $64.22 a barrel as of 8 a.m. in London.
The US and Iran have held four rounds of talks on the Islamic Republic’s atomic activities, mediated by Oman.
Trump has said he wants to reach a deal that would prevent Iran from ever building a nuclear weapon, while Tehran is seeking relief from crippling US sanctions.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who leads Iran’s negotiating team, appeared to signal Wednesday that the two sides were still keeping their distance, saying he expected a “more realistic” approach from the U.S. in the next round of talks, which have not yet been scheduled.
Araghchi also criticized Trump for his recent comments about the Islamic Republic’s role in Middle East tensions. “We are in very serious negotiations with Iran for a long-term peace, and if we do that, that would be fantastic,” Trump said Thursday.
Source: Bloomberg
