UPDATE 2 - Trump says Iran deal clarity coming 'in 10 days,' warns of further action

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By Yasin Gungor and Michael Hernandez

ISTANBUL/WASHINGTON D.C. (AA) - US President Donald Trump said Thursday it would soon become clear whether a deal with Iran is possible, warning that Washington may be forced to escalate if negotiations fall short.

"We may have to take it a step further, or we may not," he said at the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington, adding that the situation would likely become clearer "over the next probably 10 days."

Trump said his envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, built a solid working relationship with Iranian representatives and talks were progressing well.

"Iran is a hotspot right now, and they're meeting, and they have a good relationship with the representatives of Iran," he said. "Good talks are being had."

Trump was unequivocal on one condition: Iran must not acquire a nuclear weapon. "They can't have a nuclear weapon. It's very simple. You can't have peace in the Middle East if they have a nuclear weapon," he said.

US Vice President JD Vance described talks in Geneva on Tuesday as productive "in some ways," but said Iran was "not yet willing" to engage on Trump's "red lines." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the atmosphere "more constructive."

Trump acknowledged that reaching a "meaningful agreement" with Tehran had historically proven difficult.

"It's proven to be, over the years, not easy to make a meaningful deal with Iran," he said. "We have to make a meaningful deal. Otherwise, bad things happen."

He urged Tehran to seize the moment. "Now is the time for Iran to join us on a path that will complete what we're doing," said Trump. "If they join us, that'll be great. If they don't join us, that'll be great too, but it'll be a very different path."

The president said Iran "cannot continue to threaten the stability of the entire region" and must reach an agreement.

Trump also credited last June's US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities with unlocking the moment of relative calm in the region, saying the B-2 bomber strikes "totally decimated" Iran's nuclear potential. He argued that removing that threat had been the decisive factor in bringing about what he described as peace in the Middle East, calling it "the biggest thing of all."

The remarks come as Washington has deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group to the region, with the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier also on its way, alongside additional fighter jets.