Trump says world will know in about 10 days whether Iran will agree to a deal or face consequences

US President Donald Trump has warned that the world will know within “probably the next 10 days” whether the United States will reach a deal with Iran or consider military action.

Speaking at the first meeting of his Board of Peace in Washington DC, Trump said regarding negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program: “We have to make a meaningful deal; otherwise, bad things happen.”

In recent days, the US has increased its military presence in the Middle East, even as reports emerged of progress in talks between American and Iranian negotiators in Switzerland.

Iran has informed the UN Secretary-General that it would consider US bases in the region legitimate targets if used for military aggression against the country. Tehran’s UN mission stressed in a letter that while it does not want war, Trump’s comments highlight the real risk of conflict.

Some Democratic lawmakers, along with a few Republicans, have voiced opposition to any military action in Iran without congressional approval.

Trump noted that Special Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, his son-in-law, had held “some very good meetings” with Iranian officials. He added, “It’s proven to be, over the years, not easy to make a meaningful deal with Iran. Otherwise, bad things happen.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had earlier urged Iran to be “very wise” in negotiating, emphasizing that the administration still hoped for a diplomatic resolution to Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

The Board of Peace, initially announced to help end the two-year war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and oversee reconstruction, has recently taken on a broader remit, prompting speculation that it may operate independently of the United Nations.

US forces have been bolstering their presence in the region, including deploying the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. Satellite imagery indicates Iran has also reinforced its military facilities, and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei has issued social media warnings threatening US forces.

Several US lawmakers have stressed that a conflict with Iran could be disastrous. California Democrat Ro Khanna and Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie said they plan to push for a congressional vote under the 1973 War Powers Act, which allows Congress to limit presidential authority to engage in armed conflict. Khanna warned that thousands of US troops could be at risk, and that Iran’s military capabilities make any war “catastrophic.”

However, analysts note that the likelihood of such a resolution passing in both chambers of Congress is low. A similar measure was blocked in January when Senate Republicans prevented a vote requiring approval for further US military operations in Venezuela following the capture of Nicolás Maduro.