Trump Warns Iran of Consequences If Nuclear Deal Not Reached in Oman-Mediated Talks
The United States and Iran are continuing negotiations over the nuclear issue. US President Donald Trump has issued an ultimatum to Iran should the talks fail to produce an agreement.
As compiled on Wednesday (18/2/2026), the second round of US-Iran negotiations was held in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday (17/2). The two countries had previously held talks in Oman last month.
Trump confirmed he would pay close attention as the second round of negotiations progressed. He even stated that Iran would face serious consequences if the talks reached a deadlock.
“I will be involved in those talks, indirectly,” Trump told reporters during his journey to Washington, as reported by AFP on Tuesday (17/2).
“I don’t think they want the consequences of not making a deal,” he added.
The latest talks were scheduled for Tuesday (17/2) and mediated by Oman, following Trump’s repeated threats of military action against Tehran — first regarding Iran’s brutal crackdown on anti-government protests and more recently concerning the country’s nuclear programme.
The US and several European nations are concerned about Iran’s programme being aimed at building a bomb. Tehran, however, has denied this.
The US had also pushed for a number of topics to be discussed, including Iran’s ballistic missiles and its support for armed groups in the Middle East. Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday morning that “the US position on Iran’s nuclear issue has moved in a more realistic direction.”
US Ready to Support Israeli Strike on Iran If Negotiations Fail
Donald Trump has also reportedly informed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Washington would support a Tel Aviv strike against Iran’s missile programme if talks with Tehran fail to reach an agreement.
This was reported by prominent US media outlet CBS News, citing two anonymous sources familiar with US national security matters, as reported by Anadolu Agency on Monday (16/2).
The two sources cited by CBS News revealed that Trump’s statement to Netanyahu was made during their meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida in December last year. The information was only made public recently as the US resumed nuclear talks with Iran.
“President Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a meeting at Mar-a-Lago in December that the president would support an Israeli strike against Iran’s ballistic missile programme if a deal between Washington and Tehran could not be reached,” CBS News reported on Sunday (15/2) local time.
According to several other sources cited by CBS News, two months later, discussions among senior US military and intelligence community officials had shifted from whether Israel could launch a strike against Iran to how Washington could facilitate Tel Aviv’s mission through technical and diplomatic means.
Key elements of the proposed cooperation, according to the CBS News report, include mid-air refuelling for Israeli aircraft to extend their operational range and the complex task of obtaining overflight permission from sovereign nations surrounding Iran.
It remains unclear which countries would grant overflight permission for the US to refuel Israeli aircraft for a potential strike against Iran.
Middle Eastern nations such as Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have publicly stated they would not allow their airspace to be used for any strike against Iran or for Iranian strikes against any country.
US Forces on Standby in the Middle East
The CBS News report emerged as the US significantly increased its military presence in the Middle East, deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and planning to send the world’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, to the region as well.
Trump announced on Friday (13/2) that the USS Gerald R. Ford would soon move towards the region if talks between the US and Iran failed.
“If we don’t make a deal, we’re going to need it. That carrier will be leaving soon,” he said.
The second round of nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran was scheduled for Tuesday (17/2) in Geneva, Switzerland. The negotiations were to be held indirectly, with Oman acting as mediator.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday (15/2) that Trump “prefers diplomacy” regarding Iran.