Trump sets one-month deadline for Iran deal

WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump said Thursday he expects a nuclear deal with Iran to materialize within the next month, issuing a stark warning of "very traumatic" consequences if a consensus is not reached. 

The announcement injects a dramatic sense of urgency into the recently revived diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran.

"We have to make a deal, otherwise it's going to be very traumatic, very traumatic," Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday. 

When asked about a timeline, he stated, "I guess over the next month, something like that. It should happen quickly." 

The president's comments follow a new round of indirect talks between US and Iranian envoys in Oman, which resumed after an eight-month hiatus. 

The original negotiations were abruptly suspended following significant military strikes by Israel and the US against Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025, an operation Trump referred to as "Midnight Hammer." 

Trump's statement also came a day after a three-hour meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has publicly expressed skepticism about the quality of any potential agreement with Tehran. 

While Trump insisted that he would continue to negotiate, he made it clear that the final decision rests with him. 

"We had a very good meeting yesterday with Bibi Netanyahu, and he understands. But it's ultimately up to me," Trump said. 

The negotiations are fraught with challenges. The core of the dispute remains Iran's nuclear program, with Washington demanding an end to all uranium enrichment and Tehran insisting on its right to enrich uranium for what it claims are peaceful purposes. 

The US also aims to include Iran's ballistic missile program and its support for regional militant groups in any comprehensive deal, conditions Iran has so far rejected. 

The backdrop to these high-stakes talks is a significant US military buildup in the region, which Trump is using as leverage. 

He has openly discussed the possibility of sending a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East and warned that if a deal cannot be consummated, "we will just have to see what the outcome will be." 

"If we can't get a deal with them, we will go to phase two. Phase two will be very tough for them," Trump warned. 

Oman has re-emerged as a critical mediator, trusted by both sides to provide a neutral venue for dialogue. 

However, with Trump's one-month clock now ticking, the pressure is immense to bridge the significant gaps between the US and Iranian positions before the looming threat of a "very traumatic" alternative becomes a reality.