‘They’re going to negotiate’: Trump warns Iran will ‘see problems’ otherwise, vows no nuclear weapons

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has expressed confidence that Tehran will engage in diplomatic talks, warning that the country will “see problems” should it refuse to cooperate. Speaking during a phone interview with the conservative radio programme The John Fredericks Show, Trump maintained a firm stance on the necessity of a new agreement.

“Well, they’re going to negotiate, and if they don’t, they’re going to see problems like they’ve never seen before,” Trump stated. He further emphasised his administration’s primary objective regarding Iran’s military capabilities, adding, “Hopefully, they’ll make a fair deal, and they’ll build their country back up, but when they do it, they will not have a nuclear weapon”.

The President underscored that preventing Tehran from obtaining such armaments is a global necessity. “They’ll have no access to, no chance of having, a nuclear weapon. And we can’t allow that to happen. That could be the destruction of the world, and we’re not going to let that happen,” he said.

ALERT: @POTUS @realDonaldTrump Joins @jfradioshow Live Tonight at 7:00 PM — Don’t Miss It!https://t.co/A2qGgBELqP #GodzillaOfTruth #TruckingTheTruth #OracleOfDeplorables pic.twitter.com/cM5C8PUUtI

— John Fredericks (@jfradioshow) April 20, 2026

Defending the military actions taken by his administration, Trump insisted that “we had no choice in Iran. It wasn’t like we had a choice. We had to do it.” He further claimed that his team has “done a great job, and we’ll get it closed out, and everybody’s going to be happy”.

These remarks come as Trump utilised his Truth Social platform to defend the conflict, publishing four posts within a 50-minute window on Monday. During this period, he reiterated threats to target Iranian power plants if a deal is not reached. He also touted the impact of Operation Midnight Hammer, describing it as the “complete and total obliteration of the nuclear dust sites in Iran”.

The President’s rhetoric has been met with defiance in Tehran. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf accused the US leader of attempting to turn the “table of negotiation” into a “table of surrender.” Posting on X, Ghalibaf asserted that Iran would not be coerced, stating, “We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats, and in the past two weeks, we have prepared to reveal new cards on the battlefield.”

Despite the escalating tension and Trump’s hints that the current ceasefire may not be extended, there are signs of potential diplomatic movement. According to a report by Axios, Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has reportedly given the “green light” for the Iranian negotiating team to travel to Islamabad.

The move suggests a possible breakthrough for a fresh round of high-stakes talks scheduled for Wednesday, even as the two nations continue to trade threats ahead of the looming ceasefire deadline. (ANI)