Trump warns – to avoid military attack

Trump gives Iran 60 days to avoid war

Wayne Seretis

Updated 00.15 | Published 2025-04-11 23.03

Donald Trump has reportedly given Iran a 60-day deadline to agree to a nuclear arms deal. Photo: AP

The war drums are sounding louder and louder from Donald Trump.

Iran has reportedly been given 60 days to decide on a nuclear arms deal – then there will be war.

On Saturday, the US and Iran will meet on neutral ground.

The Middle East may be heading towards a new major war.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened Iran with military action if the Islamist dictatorship does not agree to a nuclear arms deal.

There is great fear of what will happen if the Iranian mullahs gain access to nuclear weapons.

Iran is already believed to have access to ballistic missiles that can reach large parts of Europe.

To be met on Saturday

On Saturday, a major political meeting is planned in the Sultanate of Oman, between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff.

The meeting takes place in the shadow of the Politico newspaper's revelation on Friday that Trump had given Iran's mullahs an ultimatum in a letter.

  

A military facility near Natanz in Iran that has been linked to the country's nuclear program. Photo: AP

Iran has 60 days to show progress in negotiations on an agreement, otherwise the country risks a major military attack.

The meeting will be the first at the highest political level since Trump took over the White House.

Critics, however, worry that Iran is just trying to buy time with the help of the negotiations.

– This is a deliberate way to delay the time so that they can get further in their nuclear weapons program and improve their position in the international community, says Middle East analyst Jonathan Panikoff to Politico.

          Iran test-fires the Khorramshahr-4 ballistic missile on May 25, 2023. Photo: AP

Wants the Nobel Prize

Even in Israel, there is dissatisfaction with the fact that the negotiations are dragging on.

– If this negotiation just goes on and on, what are we going to do? We have a golden opportunity now when Iran is weak, says Jacob Nagel, former head of Israel's National Security Council to Politico.

Israel is worried that Trump's vanity will make him agree to a bad deal.

– Another item checked off his Nobel Prize list and then he moves on to the next problem in the world, says Nagel.

On Thursday, Axios revealed that Iran is prepared to agree to an interim agreement, before starting negotiations on a more comprehensive agreement.

Softer tone towards Iran

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Witkoff says that they are prepared to agree to Iran continuing with its nuclear program, as long as they only use it for peaceful purposes.

– Our red line is that they cannot use their nuclear capacity to make weapons, says Witkoff.

According to a government source that Axios spoke to, the meeting on Saturday is for the parties to get to know each other.

– The main question we want to know the answer to is whether the Iranians have the political will to have serious talks, so that we don't have to turn to the second option, the source tells Axios.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, second right, with Mohammad Eslami, who heads the country's Atomic Energy Organization, at a nuclear exhibition in Tehran. Photo: AP

Bombers and fighter jets

A spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry urged the United States to accept that Iran is "giving diplomacy a fair chance" despite Trump's aggressive rhetoric.

The United States has moved a large number of heavy bombers and other types of fighter jets to the Middle East in the past month.

The United States has also recently secretly moved an entire air defense battalion with the advanced Patriot system from Asia to the Middle East, in response to Iran's missile threats against American air bases in the region.

Trump's national security adviser Mike Waltz has previously said that Trump expects Iran to give up any plans to build nuclear weapons, as well as dismantle its arsenal of missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons.

- Give it up or there will be consequences, Waltz told CBS.

Donald Trump ska ha gett Iran en tidsfrist på 60 dagar att gå med på ett kärnvapenavtal. Foto: AP

Krigstrummorna ljuder allt högre från Donald Trump.

Iran ska ha fått 60 dagar på sig att bestämma sig för ett kärnvapenavtal – sen blir det krig.

På lördagen möts USA och Iran på neutral mark.

Mellanöstern kan vara på väg mot ett nytt storkrig.

President Donald Trump har flera gånger hotat Iran med militära åtgärder om den islamistiska diktaturen inte går med på ett kärnvapenavtal.

Rädslan är stor för vad som ska hända om de iranska mullorna får tillgång till kärnvapen.

Iran anses redan ha tillgång till ballistiska missiler som kan nå stora delar av Europa.

Träffas på lördag

På lördagen är ett politiskt stormöte planerat i sultanatet Oman, mellan Irans utrikesminister Abbas Araghchi och Trumps särskilda sändebud Steve Witkoff.

Mötet sker i skuggan av tidningen Politicos avslöjande på fredagen om att Trump i ett brev gett Irans mullor ett ultimatum.

En militär anläggning nära Natanz i Iran som har kopplats till landets kärnprogram. Foto: AP

Iran får 60 dagar på sig att visa framsteg i förhandlingarna om ett avtal, annars riskerar landet ett omfattande militärt angrepp.

Mötet blir det första på högsta politiska nivå sedan Trump tog över i Vita huset.

Kritiker är dock oroliga för att Iran bara försöker vinna tid med hjälp av förhandlingarna.

– Det här är ett medvetet sätt att dra ut på tiden för att de ska komma längre i sitt kärnvapenprogram och förbättra sin position i det internationella samfundet, säger Mellanösternanalytikern Jonathan Panikoff till Politico.