US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that diplomatic efforts with Iran are gaining momentum and could result in an agreement, while warning that Washington may launch further strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities if deemed necessary.
Trump made the comments during a meeting with Gulf Cooperation Council countries, including Türkiye, held alongside the UN General Assembly in New York.
He said US representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had conducted a productive meeting with mediators involved in attempts to establish dialogue with Iran.
Trump said he was hearing from various parties that there was growing momentum toward reaching a deal with Tehran.
According to Trump, the main US objective in the conflict has been to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. He claimed that Iranian nuclear facilities had been destroyed and warned that the US could target the Pickaxe Mountain site if substantial activity was detected there.
Trump also addressed the Strait of Hormuz, saying oil shipments through the strategically important waterway had risen considerably since the conflict began.
He suggested that the situation with Iran could be resolved after the US midterm elections in November, although he said an earlier conclusion was also possible.
Trump said the conflict would ultimately move toward either a negotiated agreement or a swift end to the fighting.
During the meeting, Trump also recalled discussions held a year earlier at the UN General Assembly concerning efforts to end the war in Gaza. He noted that many of the same leaders were present again, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Praising Erdogan, Trump described him as a strong leader and expressed hope that his comments were being translated accurately.
After the meeting, Erdogan told reporters outside the UN headquarters that eight countries had joined the discussions. He said the participants were working to address challenges in the Gulf and hoped their diplomatic efforts would produce results soon.
NEWS DESK
PRESS UPDATE