Forget nukes or face strike, Trump tells Iran

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said on Monday he believes Iran is intentionally delaying a nuclear deal with the United States and that it must abandon any drive for a nuclear weapon or face a possible military strike on Tehran’s atomic facilities.

“I think they’re tapping us along,” Trump told reporters after U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met in Oman on Saturday with a senior Iranian official.

Both Iran and the United States said on Saturday that they held “positive” and “constructive” talks in Oman. A second round is scheduled for Saturday, and a source briefed on the planning said the meeting was likely to be held in Rome. The source, speaking to Reuters on the condition of anonymity, said the discussions are aimed at exploring what is possible, including a broad framework of what a potential deal would look like.

“Iran has to get rid of the concept of a nuclear weapon. They cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. Asked if U.S. options for a response include a military strike on Tehran’s nuclear facilities, Trump said: “Of course it does.” Trump said the Iranians need to move fast to avoid a harsh response because “they’re fairly close” to developing a nuclear weapon.

In a related development, US President Donald Trump’s administration wants to halve the State Department budget, cutting more than $30 billion, in fiscal 2026, four US officials familiar with the plan said on Monday - a massive reduction that could see nearly 30 US missions shut and foreign aid slashed by nearly 75pc.

The sources said the cuts are outlined in a response by the White House budget office – the Office of Management and Budget – to funding requests submitted by the State Department for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins on October 1.

As part of the plan - which is yet to be finalized - the administration is considering a recommendation to shut down at least 27 missions largely in Africa and Europe, according to a separate internal memo seen by Reuters. Ten of those missions are embassies and the rest are consulates.

That document provides ideas on how to shift towards a lower-cost operating model in at least four other overseas missions. It also outlines how some multi-mission posts such as the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in Paris can be consolidated. The State Department, the White House and the OMB did not respond immediately to a request for comment.