President Donald Trump said Friday he is weighing limited military strikes against Iran, even as the country’s foreign minister said Iran expects to present a draft nuclear agreement within days. The comments come amid unprecedented U.S. military buildup in the Middle East and intensive diplomatic negotiations.
Both nations expressed readiness for either military conflict or diplomacy. The statements mark a critical moment in long-stalled talks over Iran’s nuclear program, which Trump abandoned in 2018.
President Trump on Friday signaled he was weighing limited military strikes against Iran, even as the country’s foreign minister said Iran expects to present a draft nuclear agreement within days. The comments come amid unprecedented U.S. military buildup in the Middle East and intensive diplomatic negotiations.
“Suppose I can say I’m weighing it,” Trump said when asked whether the White House might pursue limited military action while both countries negotiate.
Hours later, Trump told reporters that “Iran had better negotiate a fair deal.”
The Trump administration has coupled its diplomatic overtures with major military deployment. The carrier strike group built around the USS Gerald R. Ford crossed the Strait of Gibraltar on Friday and entered the Mediterranean Sea, a deployment Trump authorized from the Caribbean, according to photographs released by maritime photographers on social media.
Iran signals readiness for agreement
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said his country plans to finalize a draft nuclear agreement within two to three days, signaling momentum in talks that have been stalled since Trump withdrew from a 2015 international agreement in 2018.
“Perhaps within a week or so we can begin real and serious negotiations on the text and reach a conclusion,” Araghchi said in an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
Both countries expressed readiness for either military confrontation or diplomacy. Araghchi said Iran is “prepared for diplomacy and negotiation just as we are prepared for war.”
Trump suggested time was running short for a deal, saying 10 to 15 days would be sufficient for Iran to reach an agreement. Recent rounds of indirect negotiations, including discussions in Geneva this week, have produced limited visible progress.
Points of contention
A fundamental disagreement has emerged over the scope of discussions. Araghchi said U.S. officials have not asked Iran to stop uranium enrichment in recent talks.
A White House official responded that Trump has made clear Iran cannot have nuclear weapons, cannot build them, and cannot enrich uranium. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, did not elaborate on what concessions the administration might offer in return.
Iran has long insisted that any agreement focus solely on its nuclear program. The country maintains it has not enriched uranium since the United States and Israel attacked Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025. Trump said at the time that the offensive had “annihilated” the installations, though the extent of damage remains unclear because Iran has barred international inspectors from the sites.
The United States and other nations suspect Iran’s nuclear program is ultimately aimed at weapons development, though Iran says the program is peaceful.
Congress seeks approval authority
Some lawmakers have objected to Trump’s comments suggesting possible military action without Congressional approval.
Democratic Senator Tim Kaine introduced a war powers resolution on Friday requiring lawmakers to approve any military strikes. While the resolution has no chance of becoming law — it would require Trump’s signature — it reflects bipartisan concern among some senators about aggressive aspects of Trump’s foreign policy.
Kaine said lawmakers who support military action “should have the guts to vote for war and be accountable to their voters instead of hiding under their desks.”
Expert assessment
Ali Vaez, an Iran expert for the International Crisis Group, said the Islamic Republic would view any military strikes as an existential threat. Vaez said he does not believe Iran is bluffing about retaliation, though Iran likely believes it can remain in power despite potential U.S. airstrikes.
The standoff reflects longstanding tensions over the scope of Iran’s nuclear ambitions and the Trump administration’s broader assertiveness in Middle East policy. The buildup has concentrated more U.S. military assets in the region than at any time in recent decades.