President Donald Trump's letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei includes a two-month deadline to reach a new nuclear deal, according to one US official and two sources briefed on the matter.
Two sources familiar with the details confirmed the deadline to the Jerusalem Post.
“President Trump made it clear to Ayatollah Khamenei that he wanted to resolve the dispute over Iran’s nuclear program diplomatically – and very soon – and if this were not possible, there would be other ways to resolve the dispute.” – NSC Spokesman Brian Hughes told the Jerusalem Post.
A source with knowledge also told the Jerusalem Post that the Europeans have sent a message to the Iranians as well; If there is no agreement by June-July, "a significant wave of sanctions will be imposed on Iran."
The reason: Under the nuclear agreement, the JCPOA, which was signed in 2015, a large portion of the sanctions imposed by the Security Council on Iran was lifted. Starting from October, it will no longer be possible to reimpose them.
Germany, the UK, and France, as parties to the nuclear agreement, have the ability to reinstate the sanctions that were removed through a mechanism known as SnapBack.
Therefore, this threat means: Don't drag us along. If there is no agreement by June-July, the sanctions will be reinstated.
It is unclear whether the two-month timeline begins upon delivery of the letter or when negotiations start. If Iran rejects Trump's proposal and fails to negotiate, the likelihood of US or Israeli military action against Iran's nuclear facilities would significantly increase.
Over the past four years, Iran's nuclear program has advanced, bringing it closer than ever to producing a nuclear weapon. The stockpile of 60% enriched uranium is sufficient for six nuclear bombs if further enriched to 90%, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Iran has denied any intentions to pursue nuclear weapons.
Two weeks ago, in an interview with Fox News' Maria Bartiromo, Trump disclosed that he had sent a letter to Khamenei proposing direct negotiations. The following day, Trump said the US was "down to the final moments" with Iran. "We can’t let them have a nuclear weapon. Something is going to happen very soon. I would rather have a peace deal than the other option, but the other option will solve the problem," he said.
The letter was delivered a few days ago by Trump envoy Steve Witkoff to the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohammed bin Zayed (MBZ), in a meeting in Abu Dhabi. A day later, MBZ's envoy Anwar Gargash took the letter to Tehran and delivered it to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Sources said Trump's letter was "tough." While it proposed negotiations on a new nuclear deal, it also warned of consequences should Iran reject the offer and continue advancing its nuclear program. Trump’s letter specified that he did not want open-ended negotiations and included the two-month deadline for reaching a deal, two sources confirmed.
Before the letter was delivered to Iranian officials, the White House briefed US allies, including Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, on its contents, according to a US official and a knowledgeable source.
The White House declined to comment, and the Iranian mission to the United Nations did not respond to requests for comment.
Khamenei accuses Donald Trump of "deception"
Last week, Khamenei described Trump's letter and his proposal for negotiations as "a deception" designed to make it appear as though Iran is unwilling to negotiate. While Khamenei stated that he did not support negotiations with the US, hours later, Iran’s mission to the UN issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter), not ruling out talks on Iran's nuclear program.
"If the objective of negotiations is to address concerns regarding the potential militarization of Iran's nuclear program, such discussions may be considered," the statement said. However, it added that if the talks aim to "dismantle Iran's peaceful nuclear program" as a means to accomplish what President Obama failed to achieve, such negotiations "will never take place."
Iran's Foreign Ministry stated earlier this week that the letter is still being reviewed and that a response is in the works.
Trump also warned on Monday that the US would consider any further Houthi attacks in Yemen as originating from Iran, threatening "dire consequences." Iran has denied any control over the Houthis. On Wednesday, Trump reiterated his call for Iran to stop supplying the Houthis, stating on Truth Social that reports suggest Iran is reducing its military support for the group, but they are still "sending large levels of supplies."
Trump’s National Security Adviser, Mike Waltz, added on Sunday that Iran must "hand over and give up" all elements of its nuclear program, including missiles, weaponization, and uranium enrichment. He warned that failure to do so could result in further consequences, adding that "Iran has been offered a way out of this."