US ‘close to a deal with Iran,’ Trump says at Doha summit

US president says Iran has “sort of agreed” to his terms for a nuclear deal, tells business leaders at Qatar summit that military intervention against Iran may be avoided.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

President Donald Trump expressed optimism that the U.S. and Iran will be able to reach an agreement to dismantle Tehran’s nuclear program, telling a business forum in Doha, Qatar, on Thursday that a breakthrough appears close at hand.

“We’re in very serious negotiations with Iran for long-term peace,” Trump told reporters on the third day of his Middle East visit.

Trump said that it seemed less likely that military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities would be needed and that indirect talks in Oman were “getting close” to yielding a deal.

“We’re not going to be making any nuclear dust in Iran,” Trump said. “I think we’re getting close to maybe doing a deal without having to do this.”

The president added that Iran seemingly had accepted America’s terms for a nuclear deal.

“So we’ll see what happens but we’re in very serious negotiations with Iran for long-term peace.

“Iran has sort of agreed to the terms,” Trump continued. “We’re getting close to maybe doing a deal.”

A day earlier, Iran signaled that  it was prepared to make major concessions to secure an agreement with the U.S.

Ali Shamkhani, an Iranian rear admiral and senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, told NBC News that the two sides were closing in on an agreement, and that a deal could even be signed “today.”

Shamkhani said Iran was prepared to soften its position in a number of key areas, including allowing regulation of its nuclear facilities by the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog group, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

In addition, Shamkhani said Iran was prepared to surrender its nearly 300 kilograms of enriched uranium – a key U.S. demand.

In exchange, Shamkhani said Iran is demanding the immediate lifting of all economic sanctions.