U.S. President Donald Trump declared on Thursday that the United States is nearing a breakthrough in nuclear negotiations with Iran.
“We’re in very serious negotiations with Iran for long-term peace,” Trump told troops at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest U.S. military installation in the region, the AFP reported. “We’re getting close to maybe doing a deal without having to do this ... There is a very, very nice step, and there is the violent step, but I don’t want to do it the second way,” he said.
Trump headed from Qatar to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, the third day of his regional tour.
His remarks at Al Udeid came as talks between U.S. and Iranian negotiators continue, with both sides publicly expressing support for a diplomatic solution. A fourth round of discussions ended on Sunday in Oman, with more expected soon. However, significant obstacles remain, including the future of Iran’s uranium enrichment program—a core sticking point in years of stalled negotiations.
Iran has insisted that enrichment on its soil is a national right, while U.S. officials have repeatedly called for a full halt. Still, both sides appear to be exploring compromises. Tehran has signaled a potential willingness to reduce the level and quantity of enriched uranium it produces, particularly the highly enriched material that raises concerns about possible weaponization.
On Tuesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian lashed out at the United States, calling it the “most destructive force” in the region and accusing Trump of trying to stir unrest inside Iran. “He thinks he can sanction and threaten us and then talk of human rights,” said Pezeshkian. “All the crimes and regional instability are caused by them.”
Despite the rhetoric, signs of movement have emerged in the negotiations. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff described the recent Oman talks as “encouraging,” while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called them “difficult but useful.” Araghchi reiterated that while Iran won’t abandon enrichment altogether, there may be room to adjust its scope in the short term to build trust.
Trump’s stop in the UAE underscores a broader regional agenda. He is expected to meet with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss technological cooperation, particularly in artificial intelligence. A preliminary agreement could grant the UAE access to up to 500,000 advanced AI chips from U.S. company Nvidia annually—a move that would position the Gulf state as a major AI player, according to Reuters. However, concerns have been raised in Washington over the potential for the technology to be diverted or misused.
The trip has also yielded a series of major commercial announcements. In Saudi Arabia, Trump unveiled $142 billion in arms deals and a $600 billion Saudi pledge to invest in the U.S. economy. According to a White House statement, Trump secured a $1.2 trillion economic commitment in Qatar, including a Qatar Airways promise to purchase up to 210 Boeing aircraft. Trump also made headlines Tuesday by declaring that longstanding U.S. sanctions on Syria would be lifted following a meeting with Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
While these agreements mark notable diplomatic and economic wins for Trump, the centerpiece of the tour remains the nuclear issue. As Trump courts Gulf leaders and signals openness to negotiation, regional allies—including Israel—remain wary. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long opposed diplomacy with Tehran and is widely believed to be pressuring Washington to avoid any concessions.
Nonetheless, Trump appears determined to explore a peaceful solution, portraying the emerging deal as a way to defuse one of the region’s most dangerous flashpoints. “We’re getting close,” he said Thursday. “But we’re not there yet—and it has to be the right deal.”
