U.S. President Donald Trump said he remains hopeful that renewed diplomatic efforts with Iran could lead to a new agreement on its nuclear program, even as he reiterated his firm stance on enforcing harsh sanctions against the country.
Speaking at a Gulf Cooperation Council summit in Riyadh on Wednesday, Trump expressed his desire to strike a deal with Tehran.
“I want to make a deal with Iran. I want to do something, if it’s possible,” he said during the summit, which brought together leaders from across the Persian Gulf.
Trump’s comments come as his administration continues to impose new sanctions on Iranian individuals and entities accused of supporting the country’s oil industry and nuclear activities. “I’m strongly urging all nations to join us in fully and totally enforcing the sanctions,” he told delegates.
The president’s remarks followed his meeting with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha, where the two leaders discussed regional tensions, including the situation with Iran. “It’s been really an interesting situation. I have a feeling it’s going to work out,” Trump said after the talks.
Trump is currently on his first visit to the region since returning to the White House. His diplomatic push follows four rounds of indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran aimed at reviving or replacing the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). While both sides have described the talks as “generally positive,” major hurdles remain.
Iran has made it clear it wants guarantees that the U.S. will lift all sanctions and not unilaterally exit any future agreement as Trump did in 2018, when he withdrew from the JCPOA and reimposed sweeping economic penalties, including secondary sanctions targeting countries that buy Iranian oil.
Responding to Trump’s latest remarks, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the U.S. of presenting a “deceptive view,” saying the administration’s rhetoric contradicted its actions.
In a separate development during his stop in Qatar, Trump announced what he called a “record” purchase of 160 Boeing aircraft by Qatar Airways, worth more than $200 billion. “It’s the largest order of jets in the history of Boeing,” Trump said at a joint appearance with Emir Tamim. “That’s pretty good.”
The visit to Doha is the second leg of Trump’s regional tour, following a high-profile stop in Riyadh, where he surprised observers by lifting longstanding U.S. sanctions on Syria and holding a rare meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Relations between Washington and Doha have drawn fresh scrutiny after reports emerged that Qatar had offered a $400 million luxury aircraft for Trump’s use first as Air Force One, and later for private use after his term.
