President Donald Trump said Friday he was dissatisfied with the state of nuclear negotiations with Iran, while signaling he still prefers a diplomatic outcome even as the U.S. reinforces its military posture in the region. Oman, which has been mediating the talks, urged Washington to give negotiators time to resolve remaining issues, and the U.N. warned that heightened military activity is raising risks.
On Friday, Feb. 28, 2026, President Donald Trump said he was unhappy with the status of negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program, repeating that Tehran must not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said he was “not happy” with Iran’s negotiating posture and indicated the U.S. was continuing discussions. He also reiterated that Washington opposes Iran having a nuclear weapons capability and has pressed Iran to accept tighter limits on its nuclear activities.
Asked about the possibility of military action, Trump declined to discuss specifics but again left open the option of force, while suggesting he would rather see diplomacy succeed.
Oman’s foreign minister, Badr al-Busaidi—whose government has served as an intermediary in indirect U.S.-Iran contacts—said publicly that progress had been made but that additional time and space were needed to close remaining gaps. In a post on X, al-Busaidi said he appreciated the parties’ engagement and expressed hope for further progress in the coming days.
Key disagreements have persisted, including over Iran’s ability to enrich uranium on its own territory and how to deal with existing stocks of enriched material, according to reporting on the talks.
Separately, the International Atomic Energy Agency has said it lacks sufficient access to certain Iranian nuclear facilities damaged during last June’s 12-day war involving Israel and the United States, limiting the agency’s ability to verify aspects of Iran’s current enrichment-related activities and account for nuclear material at affected sites. Iran has said inspections of bombed sites require a defined post-conflict framework and, in some cases, a broader agreement on terms for access.
The United Nations has urged continued diplomacy while warning that military deployments around the region increase the risk of escalation. The United States has moved substantial naval forces into the area, including aircraft carrier strike groups, as several governments have issued travel warnings or advised citizens to leave parts of the region amid rising tensions.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been expected to travel to Israel early in the week for talks on Iran and other regional issues, though The Washington Post reported on Feb. 28 that his trip was canceled due to “current circumstances.”
