Trump: Iran Talks Gain Momentum, Warns Strikes Still Possible
Trump made the comments during a multilateral meeting with Gulf Cooperation Council nations and Türkiye, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
"It's an honor to be here with some of America's greatest and closest friends, allies, and partners to continue our effort toward a safer and more prosperous Middle East," said Trump.
He noted that US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had held a "productive meeting" with mediators working to engage Iran.
"I think there's a lot of momentum for them to make a deal. That's what we are hearing from everybody," said Trump.
According to Trump, the US's central objective throughout the conflict has been preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, and he asserted that Iranian nuclear facilities had already been destroyed. He also addressed the Iranian site known as Pickaxe Mountain, saying the US would strike it again if significant activity were detected there.
"We may have to blow up another one, Pickaxe Mountain," he said. "We're not seeing a lot of activity there, but if we do, we'll blow it up immediately."
Turning to the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said oil flows through the key waterway had risen substantially since the war began. He added that he expects the conflict with Iran to be resolved around the time of the US midterm elections in November, if not sooner.
"We think that the situation with Iran could end right after the midterm elections and maybe before. I don't know. You never know," he said.
Trump said the war's outcome would come down to one of two paths — a negotiated deal or a swift conclusion to hostilities.
"Look, it's going to go one way or the other. It's either going to -- we're going to make a deal, or it's going to end very, very quickly," he said.
Looking back on discussions held during last year's UN General Assembly, Trump noted that many of the same leaders had reconvened, having previously focused on ending the war in Gaza.
"Exactly one year ago, many of our nations met here on the sidelines of the United Nations to discuss how we could end the bloody war in Gaza, and almost the same faces were here, including my friend right over here from Turkey," Trump said, referring to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
"He's a tough cookie. Don't mess around with him," said Trump, adding that he hoped his comments were being accurately translated. "He's fantastic. Fantastic guy, right, my friend," he added.
Following the meeting, Erdogan told reporters outside UN headquarters that eight countries have joined forces on the effort.
"We are striving to overcome the difficulties in the Gulf. We want to see the fruits of our efforts as soon as possible," said Erdogan.
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