Trump Confirms Letter to Iran Urging Nuclear Negotiations Amid Military Threats
Washington, D.C. – U.S. President Donald Trump has revealed that he sent a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, encouraging negotiations on a nuclear deal while simultaneously warning of potential military action if no agreement is reached.
Speaking in an interview with Fox News, a clip of which was released by Fox Business on Friday, Trump stated that he sent the letter on Wednesday. The full interview is set to air on Fox News Channel’s Sunday Morning Futures.
“There are two ways Iran can be handled, militarily or through a deal. I would prefer to make a deal,” Trump told host Maria Bartiromo.
Trump emphasized his preference for diplomatic negotiations but acknowledged that not everyone may share his stance. “I would rather negotiate a deal. I’m not sure that everybody agrees with me, but we can make a deal that would be just as good as if you won militarily,” he said. “But the time is happening now, the time is coming up. Something is going to happen one way or the other. I hope that Iran, and I’ve written them a letter, saying I hope you’re going to negotiate because if we have to go in militarily, it’s going to be a terrible thing for them.”
Despite Trump’s assertions, the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations has denied receiving any such letter. “We have not received such a letter so far,” the mission stated.
Addressing concerns about his approach, Trump clarified that his letter was not an ultimatum but rather an appeal for diplomatic engagement. “No, I didn’t say, ‘You better.’ I said, ‘I hope you’re going to negotiate,’ because it will be a lot better for Iran. I think they want to get that letter. The other alternative is we have to do something because you can’t let them have a nuclear weapon,” he warned.
This is not the first time Trump has attempted to communicate with Khamenei. In 2019, with the assistance of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, he sent a similar message urging talks, but the Iranian leader publicly rejected the proposal.
Trump’s latest remarks come in the wake of his decision during his first term to withdraw the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear agreement established under the Obama administration. That deal had restricted Iran’s uranium enrichment to 3.67% purity and limited its uranium stockpile to 300 kilograms.
Last month, Trump signed a memorandum aimed at exerting “maximum pressure” on Iran, including reducing its oil exports to zero to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons capability. “I’m going to sign it, but hopefully, we’re not going to have to use it very much. We will see whether or not we can arrange or work out a deal with Iran,” he stated.
When asked about his desired terms for a new nuclear agreement, Trump remained firm: “We’re going to see. They cannot have a nuclear weapon. With me, it’s very simple: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.”
During his remarks from the Oval Office, Trump also disclosed that he has left instructions to “obliterate” Iran should they ever attempt an assassination.
As tensions between Washington and Tehran persist, Trump’s latest comments signal renewed efforts for diplomatic engagement, albeit under the shadow of potential military conflict.
