Trump says Iran will be in “huge danger” if talks with stopping its nuclear program fail
Washington: Trump said Iran would be in “huge danger” if talks with stopping its nuclear program failed. President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States is in direct negotiations with Iran on its nuclear program.
The president said in comments to reporters that the talks with Tehran will begin on Saturday after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He insisted that Tehran would not be able to obtain nuclear weapons.
“We deal with them directly and maybe we will reach an agreement,” Trump said, adding: “It is preferable to reach an agreement than to make an obvious deal.”
Trump said the negotiations will be “almost at the highest level.”
When Netanyahu hurriedly arranged to discuss Trump’s nuclear program on the world, Iran and the Israel-Hamas war release tariffs, he announced a surprising plan for participation.
During his first White House term, Iran, negotiated by Democratic President Barack Obama’s administration, pulled the United States from the landmark nuclear agreement.
At the time, Trump announced that he had made the world safer, but he also deepened his isolation on the world stage and restored suspicion of American credibility.
The 2015 agreement also includes the UK, China, France, Germany and Russia, lifting most and international economic sanctions on Iran.
Trump talked about how a new deal might differ from an aspect of negotiations between Obama officials, “I think it will be different, maybe it will be stronger.”
Trump greeted the Israeli Prime Minister with a firm handshake when he arrived at the talks Monday afternoon.
Trump and Netanyahu said they discussed tensions with Iran, Israel-Türkiye Tie and the International Criminal Court, which issued an arrest warrant against Israeli leaders last year. Trump signed an executive order in February imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court’s investigation into Israel.
Before meeting with Netanyahu, Trump held a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Jordanian King Abdullah II. All three leaders are key interlocutors working to ease tensions in the Middle East and end the Israel-Hamas war.
The Prime Minister met with senior Trump administration officials, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jameson Greer shortly after arriving in Washington on Sunday night. Netanyahu met with Trump’s special envoy in the Middle East on Monday, before he sat down with the president.
Netanyahu said he assured Trump that his administration would withdraw from the U.S. trade deficit.
“We will eliminate the U.S.-U.S. trade deficit,” Netanyahu said.
Eytan Gilboa, an expert in U.S. relations with Israel, said he hopes Trump will use tariffs as a concession to force Netanyahu.
As far as Israel is concerned, these concessions may not be economical. Trump may urge Netanyahu to move towards an end to the war in Gaza – at least through some temporary truce with Hamas, which will stop fighting and release more hostages.
Gilboa said Trump hopes to return from his first overseas trip (an expected to go to Saudi Arabia next month) and has taken some action to normalize relations with Israel, which may require important Israeli offers to Gaza.
If he does manage to strengthen the ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia, it would be a regional diplomatic confrontation against Iran’s pressure, which Trump threatened new sanctions and recommended military action on his nuclear program.
According to a statement from Netanyahu’s office, Israel announced in a pre-production system move last week that it is removing all relevant U.S. tariffs on U.S. goods, mainly imported food and agricultural products.
But this strategy failed, at a rate of 17%, and Israel was just one of dozens of countries last week’s so-called Liberation Day.
Although Israel is a tiny market for U.S. products, the United States is Israel’s main trading partner. Most trade is used for high-tech services, which are not directly affected by tariffs, but key Israeli industries may be affected.
The Israeli Manufacturers Association estimates that the tariffs will cost Israel about $3 billion in exports each year and cause the loss of 26,000 jobs in industries including biotechnology, chemicals, plastics and electronics. The World Bank said Israel’s GDP is an economic output, exceeding $500 billion a year.
“Losses won’t stop exports,” said Ron Tomer, president of the group. “It will scare investors, encourage companies to leave Israel and undermine our image as a global innovation hub.” He called on the government to work urgently to protect the economy.
