United States Government Gives Iran Just 10 Days to Reach Agreement – President Donald Trump
Washington, D.C. | February 20, 2026 | The Global Journal
US President Donald Trump said at the inaugural Board of Peace summit that Tehran must reach a significant agreement with the United States. He warned that if Iran fails to make a deal within roughly 10 days, it could face further military strikes.
Speaking at the Washington, D.C. meeting on Thursday, Trump said, “Last June, joint Israeli-US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities helped facilitate the ceasefire in Gaza. Without the US attack, establishing peace in the Middle East would not have been possible.” He added, “We may have to take it a step further, or maybe not. You’ll find out in the next roughly 10 days.”
Earlier, the US and Iran concluded the second round of indirect bilateral talks in Geneva. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the discussions had made “good progress” and that both sides had “broadly agreed on a set of guiding principles” for an agreement.
Meanwhile, the United States has continued to bolster its military presence in the Gulf region, including two aircraft carriers and several dozen fighter jets. Iran, which denies pursuing nuclear weapons, has said it is willing to limit uranium enrichment and place it under strict international oversight, but Iranian officials have refused to make concessions on its missile program, calling it a non-negotiable defense principle.
On Thursday, Trump said his diplomatic aides Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had “very good meetings” with Iranian representatives. He emphasized, “We have to make a meaningful deal. Otherwise, bad things happen.”
Last week, Trump called for a US-Iran agreement within the next month, warning that failing to do so would create “very adverse” consequences for Tehran.
Iranian officials have taken a firm stance against US threats. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei wrote, “A warship is dangerous, but the weapon capable of sending that warship to the bottom of the sea is even more dangerous.”
Tensions between Washington and Tehran have been escalating since late 2025, when Trump, while hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, threatened to strike Iran again. Days later, anti-government protests erupted in Iran, and Trump encouraged demonstrators to take over state institutions, promising that “help is on the way.”
Last month, Trump stepped back from the brink of attacking Iran, and the country agreed to halt executions of banned individuals. The two countries later resumed negotiations, with the first round of talks after the June war taking place in Oman on February 6. Despite ongoing diplomacy, hostile rhetoric and threats between Washington and Tehran have continued.
In 2018, during his first term, Trump withdrew from the multilateral nuclear deal, which had limited Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for lifting international sanctions on its economy.
