trump board of peace meeting : US - Iran news : Donald Trump issues a fresh 10 - day ultimatum to Iran , warning bad things could happen

economictimes.indiatimes.com · Feb 19, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

Full Article

President Donald Trump has issued a fresh 10-day ultimatum to Iran, warning that "otherwise bad things happen." Speaking in Washington, DC on Thursday, Trump said the world would soon know whether diplomacy succeeds or fails. His remarks came as nuclear negotiations with Iran remain stalled following recent talks in Geneva.The warning has intensified speculation that US-Iran tensions could escalate into direct military action.ALSO READ: Quote of the Day by Haruki Murakami: 'Life is a lot more fragile than we think…'—inspiring quotes by the famous Norwegian Wood authorWhat did President Donald Trump say about striking Iran?During his remarks, Trump made clear that military options remain on the table if negotiations collapse.“Now we may have to take it a step further or we may not. Maybe we are going to make a deal [with Iran],” Trump said, referring to the breakdown in nuclear discussions."You are going to be finding out over the next probably 10 days,” he added, as per a report by Axios.Reports suggest that potential US targets could include Iran’s nuclear facilities, ballistic missile sites and other military installations. Earlier claims indicated that strikes could come “as soon as this weekend,” although no formal decision has been announced and these are mere speculations.ALSO READ: Quote of the Day by Paul McCartney: 'Take these broken wings and...'Why were nuclear talks stalled?The latest round of negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland failed to produce significant progress. Iranian officials reportedly asked for more time, but there was little to no breakthrough.As talks stalled, the US military increased its presence in the Middle East. Aircraft carriers, fighter jets, submarines and additional assets were moved into the region in recent weeks, underscoring the seriousness of the situation, as quoted in a report by The Daily Mail.The buildup has coincided with Trump’s insistence that he prefers diplomacy, even as he maintains the possibility of force.JUST IN: 10 DAYS.TRUMP: "We may have to take (Iran) a step further, or we may not. Maybe we're gonna make a deal. You'll find out in probably 10 days." pic.twitter.com/DwFTSNvWO7— Bruce Snyder (@realBruceSnyder) February 19, 2026 What happened at the Board of Peace meeting?The president delivered his warning during the first-ever meeting of the newly formed Board of Peace in Washington, DC, attended by nearly 50 world leaders in person and virtually.At the start of his speech, Trump said, "An easy word to say but a hard word to produce – peace.”He emphasized the financial burden of military conflict, stating, “There's nothing less expensive than peace." "You know, when you go to war, it costs you 100 times what it costs to make peace."The president also told attendees, "A lot of people in this room hate each other – you know, sort of natural, I guess." "But we're bringing love back into the room like the old days," as quoted in a report by The Daily Mail.Trump has repeatedly said he wants to be remembered as a president who ends wars and claimed he had ended eight conflicts during his time in office. With diplomacy hanging in the balance, Trump’s 10-day deadline has sharpened the focus on US-Iran relations. While he continues to speak about peace and the high cost of war, the warning of possible strikes leaves little doubt that critical decisions could be imminent.ALSO READ: Employee resigns after 5 years, so does his colleague. Management suspects a plot to disrupt operations — wise advice followsSteve Witkoff's diplomatic efforts with the Republic of Iran were commended by Donald Trump. Trump stated that Witkoff and Jared Kushner, another envoy and the president's son-in-law, have a positive rapport with the Iranian representatives, adding that "Iran is a hot spot right now." "Good talks are being had. It’s proven to be, over the years, not easy to make a meaningful deal with Iran. We have to make a meaningful deal, otherwise, bad things happen, but we have to make a meaningful deal,” President Trump stated. Adding further, "We do have some work to do with Iran. They can’t have a nuclear weapons. Very simple. You can’t have peace in the Middle East if they have a nuclear weapon," as quoted in a report by The Guardian.FAQsWhat is Trump’s 10-day ultimatum?He warned, "Now we may have to take it a step further or we may not. Maybe we are going to make a deal [with Iran]." Trump said, referring to the breakdown in nuclear discussions, "You are going to be finding out over the next probably 10 days."Why is US military activity increasing in the Middle East?Following stalled nuclear talks in Geneva, the US has reinforced the region with carriers, jets and submarines as diplomatic efforts remain uncertain.