U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday that a potential nuclear deal with Iran is within reach, suggesting that military action may be avoided. Speaking in Qatar during his multi-nation Gulf tour, Trump said, “We’re not going to be making any nuclear dust in Iran,” indicating optimism about diplomatic progress. He hinted that Iran had “sort of agreed to the terms,” referencing reports that Tehran may surrender its stockpile of highly enriched uranium in exchange for sanctions relief.
The news sent oil prices tumbling over three percent, as markets reacted to hopes of de-escalation. Trump credited Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for influencing the peace push and praised Gulf states for their financial commitments during his visit.
Highlighting business gains, Trump claimed the tour could generate up to $4 trillion in deals, including a $200 billion Boeing aircraft agreement and a $600 billion investment promise from Saudi Arabia. The UAE, his next stop, is lobbying for access to advanced U.S. technology, including AI chips.
In Riyadh, Trump took aim at both liberal and traditional U.S. foreign policy strategies, criticizing failed nation-building efforts in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. He praised the economic transformations of Gulf nations while omitting any mention of human rights concerns, including the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Trump also lifted sanctions on Syria following Bashar al-Assad’s fall and held a landmark meeting in Riyadh with Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former jihadist and now a prominent Syrian figure—marking the first high-level U.S.-Syria interaction in 25 years.
