Washington (TDI): US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he would participate “indirectly” in high-stakes negotiations between the United States and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program, scheduled for Tuesday in Geneva. He expressed optimism that Iran is motivated to reach an agreement.
“I’ll be involved in those talks, indirectly. And they’ll be very important,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. He added, “I don’t think they want the consequences of not making a deal,” referring to previous US military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Tensions remain high in the region, with the US deploying a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East and preparing for the possibility of a prolonged military campaign if diplomacy fails, US officials said.
Trump reflected on last summer’s strikes, noting that US B-2 stealth bombers had targeted Iranian nuclear sites after talks stalled over Washington’s demand that Tehran halt uranium enrichment, a process the US views as a potential pathway to nuclear weapons, according to Reuters.
“We could have had a deal instead of sending the B-2s in to knock out their nuclear potential. And we had to send the B-2s,” he said.
Despite these warnings, Trump indicated Tehran might now be more willing to negotiate, though his remarks contrast with his prior statements endorsing potential regime change in Iran.
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Geneva on Monday. He told reporters he is in the city to “achieve a fair and equitable deal” and added, “What is not on the table: submission before threats.”
Tehran has repeatedly stressed it is only willing to discuss limits on its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief, refusing to eliminate uranium enrichment entirely. Its missile capabilities are off-limits in the negotiations.
Read More: Iranian FM to Meet IAEA Chief Ahead of New US Talks
The IAEA has pressed Iran to clarify the status of roughly 440 kilograms of highly enriched uranium following Israeli-US strikes in June 2025 and to allow full inspections at key facilities, including Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan.
