Trumps letter to Iran demanded new nuclear deal very soon, warned of other ways to resolve dispute: WH
President Trump’s recent letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei told the Ayatollah he wants to see a new nuclear deal “very soon,” a senior administration official told The Post.Should Iran fail to take his request seriously, Trump will contemplate other options as the administration seeks to stop the theocratic regime from obtaining a nuclear weapon, according to the official.
“President Trump made it clear to Ayatollah Khamenei that he wanted to resolve the dispute over Iran’s nuclear program diplomatically – and very soon – and if this was not possible, there would be other ways to resolve the dispute,” US National Security Council Brian Hughes told The Post.In the letter, Trump specifically gave the 85-year-old Ayatollah a two-month deadline to cut a deal on its nuclear weapons program, Axios first reported.
Two weeks ago, Trump told Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo on “Sunday Morning Futures” that he sent a letter to Khamenei suggesting the two countries engage in direct negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program.“We can’t let them have a nuclear weapon.Something is going to happen very soon.
I would rather have a peace deal than the other option, but the other option will solve the problem,” Trump said at the time.That letter was passed off by US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff to United Arab Emirates President Mohammed Bin Zayed, who then sent the letter to Iran, according to Axios.It is not entirely clear when the two-month deadline began.
The overture comes as Trump is trying to pursue peace in the Israel-Hamas war as well as Russia’s war against Ukraine.Khamenei quickly slammed Trump’s letter as “a deception” that is intended to portray Iran as an uncooperative nation that refuses to negotiate.Later, Iran’s mission to the United Nations struck a more conciliatory tone.
“If the objective of negotiations is to address concerns vis-à-vis any potential militarization of Iran’s nuclear program, ...