US President Donald Trump warned that the US might take military action against Iran if it tries to develop a nuclear weapon. This warning comes as negotiators are preparing to meet on Saturday to talk about the ongoing dispute over Iran’s nuclear program. 

During an event in the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump assured reporters that he would "absolutely" consider employing military force "if necessary." Israel would "very much be involved, the leader of that," Trump continued. The president stated that he had an internal deadline for the negotiations to deliver results.  “We don’t have much time because we’re not going to let them have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “And we’re going to let them thrive, I want Iran to be great. The only thing that they can’t have is a nuclear weapon.”

High-level talks are scheduled to take place in Oman this weekend, marking the first formal nuclear discussions between the US and Iran since September 2022. While Trump didn't mention who would be involved in the talks, he described the Saturday meeting as “a start” to the process and said he had a deadline in mind for the discussions. The two countries haven’t had direct talks since 2015, when they reached a nuclear agreement that was later scrapped by Trump during his first term. Iranian officials keep saying they’re not trying to build nuclear weapons, although outside experts believe Iran could produce enough weapons-grade material within a few weeks.

Trump has resurrected his "maximum pressure" approach against Iran since assuming office in January, focusing on its banking sector, oil exports and other vital industries. Iranian officials dispute Trump's Monday assertion that the US was "dealing with them directly," stating that their primary objective is to lift sanctions and that the talks will be conducted in an indirect manner.