Trump says Iran peace talks proceeding 'nicely,' warns of stronger attacks if no deal

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, May 25 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that peace negotiations with Iran are proceeding "nicely," while warning that if a deal is not reached, U.S. attacks would resume on a scale "bigger and stronger than ever before."

Trump made the remarks on social media, stressing that an agreement with Iran will only be a "great deal," or "no deal at all," as the United States and Iran are working to sign a framework that Axios said involves a 60-day ceasefire extension during which the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened and negotiations would continue on Iran's nuclear program.

"Negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran are proceeding nicely! It will only be a Great Deal for all or, no Deal at all -- Back to the Battlefront and shooting, but bigger and stronger than ever before -- And nobody wants that!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Commenting on Saturday's phone call with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain, he said that he told them that it should be "mandatory" that all of the countries, "at a minimum," simultaneously sign onto the Abraham Accords.

Mediated by the U.S. during Trump's first term, the Abraham Accords are normalization pacts between Israel and Arab nations aimed at fostering peace and economic cooperation in the Middle East. The UAE and Bahrain are already among the signatories to the accords.

"The Abraham Accords have proven to be, for the Countries involved, a Financial, Economic, and Social BOOM, even during this time of Conflict and War, with the current Members never even suggesting leaving, or taking so much as even a pause," he said.

"The reason for this is that the Abraham Accords have been great for them, and will be even better for everybody, and bring true Power, Strength, and Peace to the Middle East for the first time in 5,000 years. It will be a Document respected like no other that has ever been signed, anywhere in the World."

While responding to Arab nations' calls to end hostilities with Iran, Trump appears to be seeking to use the momentum to push for the expansion of the Abraham Accords.

In a separate post earlier in the day, Trump said a deal with Iran will be a "great and meaningful" one as he took a swipe at Democrats and some Republicans who were critical of a potential peace framework with the Islamic Republic.

Among the critics in Congress was Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), who told CNN that a potential peace deal under negotiation "doesn't make sense" to him, and that any agreement with Iran is "doomed to fail" if it is not subject to congressional ratification.

"The deal with Iran will either be a great and meaningful one, or there will be no deal," Trump said.

"It will be the exact opposite of the JCPOA disaster negotiated by the failed Obama Administration, which was a direct and open path to a Nuclear Weapon for Iran. No, I don't do deals like that!" he added.

He was referring to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, a 2015 landmark nuclear deal with Iran that the U.S. withdrew from in 2018 during the first Trump administration.

The president then castigated those critical of the potential peace agreement with Iran.

"I laugh at all of the Dumocrats, RINOS, and Fools who know nothing about the potential deal I am making with Iran, things that haven't even been negotiated yet, weak and ineffective people," he said. RINO is short for Republican in name only -- a term usually used to criticize moderate Republicans.