Payam Javan: U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism about ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran during a press conference in Doha on Wednesday, stating that his administration is in “very serious negotiations” for a long-term peace agreement. Trump, who is on his first foreign trip of his second term visiting Gulf nations, suggested that Iran has “sort of agreed to the terms” of a potential deal, with four rounds of talks held since last month, including a three-hour session on May 11 in Muscat, Oman, between U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi. Trump emphasized that Iran must not develop nuclear weapons, describing it as a simple but non-negotiable condition, while expressing a preference for an “intelligent” resolution over a “brutal” one.

Despite the positive tone, tensions remain. On Tuesday, Trump called for Iran to cease sponsoring terrorism and pursuing nuclear weapons during a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting in Riyadh, prompting a sharp response from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who vowed that Tehran would not “bow to any bully.” Experts, such as Princeton astrophysicist Robert Goldston, have suggested a potential deal could allow Iran to enrich uranium up to 5% instead of the current 60%, though no specific details of the negotiations have been disclosed. Trump reiterated his desire for Iran to prosper but maintained that a nuclear-armed Iran is unacceptable, hinting at both diplomatic and forceful options to resolve the issue.