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U.S. President Donald Trump called on Iran Wednesday to join negotiations and reach an agreement on nuclear weapons; he warned that any future U.S. military action would be significantly more severe. “I hope Iran will swiftly come to the negotiating table and craft a fair, balanced deal—NO nuclear weapons—that benefits everyone involved. Time is critical,” Trump shared on social media.
The president, a Republican who withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal during his first term, also noted that after his previous warning, military forces struck Iran. “The next response will be much worse. Don’t let it happen again,” he warned. Trump also mentioned that another naval fleet was headed toward Iran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated earlier that he had not been in contact with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff recently and that Iran was not seeking negotiations at this time, according to state media.
Turkey’s top diplomat urged Washington to resume nuclear discussions with Iran during an interview aired Wednesday, amid the movement of U.S. warships to the region in anticipation of potential military action over Iran’s crackdown on protests. “Attacking Iran is a mistake. Restarting the war would be wrong. Iran is willing to negotiate on its nuclear program again,” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told Qatar’s Al-Jazeera in English.
He added, “My advice to our American friends is to address the issues one by one. Start with the nuclear concern, resolve it, and then move on to other matters.” This statement came after a U.S. naval strike group led by an aircraft carrier deployed to Middle Eastern waters, as per U.S. Central Command, which did not specify its exact location. U.S. officials have not ruled out further military action against Iran over its harsh response to protests.
Since Iran launched a nationwide crackdown earlier this month, accompanied by a blackout on internet access, President Trump has sent mixed signals regarding intervention. Turkey, a NATO member sharing a 330-mile border with Iran, has consistently opposed military moves against Iran. Last week, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described Iran’s unrest as a “new challenge” and vowed Turkey would oppose any effort to plunge the region into chaos, hoping diplomacy would help Iran navigate this difficult period.
Fidan emphasized that Iran’s issues should be addressed separately. “Don’t package everything together. Approaching these problems as a single bundle makes it hard for Iran to accept and process. It might even feel humiliating for them, hard to explain to their leadership,” he explained.
He recounted visiting Tehran late last year, urging Iran to take steps toward resolving issues, believing a deal with the U.S. on nuclear matters was within reach. “A true friend speaks the hard truths, and I did just that,” he remarked.
Fidan also urged Iran to foster trust within the region, stating, “When I was in Iran two months ago, I was very frank. They need to build trust throughout the region,” as he told Al-Jazeera.
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