President Donald Trump has reiterated that Iran must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons, even as he signaled a willingness to continue diplomatic engagement with Tehran amid rising tensions across the Middle East.
Speaking at the White House on Friday, Trump said discussions with Iran had been progressing but suggested the time was not yet right for a formal agreement.
“They are talking to us right now. They’d love to make a deal. I don’t think they’re ready to. I don’t think it’s time yet, but I’m willing to listen,” he said.
The U.S. president stressed that preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons remained a top priority, warning that such weapons would threaten not only the United States and Israel but the wider Middle East.
His comments came as the regional conflict intensified, with Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels and Saudi Arabia exchanging fresh attacks overnight.
The Houthis claimed responsibility for missile and drone strikes targeting facilities linked to Saudi oil giant Aramco in the cities of Jizan and Yanbu. The group said the attacks were carried out in retaliation for Saudi airstrikes on Yemen’s strategic Red Sea port city of Hodeida.
Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the strikes were aimed at economic targets, while Saudi authorities confirmed that air raid sirens were activated in the affected areas but did not immediately provide details on damage or casualties.
The Houthis accused Riyadh of escalating the conflict and warned that the latest attacks would not go unanswered. The group has also threatened to impose a maritime blockade in the Red Sea, a move that could disrupt commercial shipping and regional trade.
Meanwhile, Iran accused the European Union of hypocrisy over its position on the ongoing conflict, as diplomatic efforts to ease tensions continue.
The latest developments underscore the growing instability across the Middle East, with military confrontations expanding beyond Iran and Israel to involve regional actors, raising concerns over the security of critical shipping routes, including the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.
