Trump Tells Qatar’s Prime Minister He Will Give Iran Talks A Chance
Axios cites a diplomat as saying the president wants a deal but could reverse course; Trump says Gulf states prefer the blockade and “Operation Iron Gate” to continue and that stopping Iran’s nuclear bomb is non-negotiable
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - President Donald Trump told Qatar’s prime minister and foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, that he wants a deal with Iran and is willing to give negotiations a chance, Axios reported on Monday, citing a diplomat briefed on the discussions.
Trump told the Qatari leader he could reverse course if Tehran does not engage seriously, according to the report. Trump said on Truth Social that he had an “excellent conversation” with the Qatari prime minister, in which much was discussed about Iran.
In the post, Trump said Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and other countries favor keeping the situation as it is now, which he described as the continuation of the US naval blockade and the new land-and-sea Operation Iron Gate against Iran, according to Anadolu.
He said all sides agree that Iran must be prevented from obtaining a nuclear weapon and that this is “non-negotiable.”
He said Israel and the Middle East are protected from Iran’s dangers and threats at this point, and that there is “positive momentum toward an end to this conflict.”
Asked about the risk of new fighting, he said the US is fully ready if a dangerous development occurs, but that this now seems unlikely, and he said US interests will always be protected and the American people and the world will be safer at the end of this military phase.
The meeting at the White House lasted about 45 minutes and focused on the negotiations, according to Axios, and it was Trump’s first with a foreign leader since the midterm elections.
Sheikh Mohammed met Vice President JD Vance separately before seeing Trump, after a visit to Tehran last week, according to U.S. Local Media.
He said the discussions on reaching a deal were positive, and Trump told reporters that Iran is militarily “effectively over” and that the US is keeping the status quo.
Trump told Reuters that Qatar and Saudi Arabia would rather see a peaceful solution and that “we’re ready to go anytime we want.” Qatar and regional mediators including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Türkiye have been discussing a draft proposal for a series of steps over two days to build confidence toward a broader deal, according to Axios.
Iran has said it can reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days if Washington meets its conditions, including ending the blockade.