US President Donald Trump told Gulf leaders on Wednesday that he urgently wants "to make a deal" with Iran to wind down its nuclear program, but that Tehran must end its support of proxy groups throughout the region as part of any potential agreement.
Iran "must stop sponsoring terror, halt its bloody proxy wars, and permanently and verifiably cease pursuit of nuclear weapons," Trump said in remarks at a meeting of leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council hosted by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, in Riyadh. "They cannot have a nuclear weapon."
The US and Iran have engaged in four rounds of talks since early last month focused on Iran's nuclear program. Trump has repeatedly said that he believes brokering a deal is possible, but that the window is closing.
The president's strongly worded push on Iran to cease support of Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthis in Yemen come as its proxy network has faced significant setbacks in the 19 months since Hamas launched its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
Trump added that he believed the moment was ripe "for a future free from the grip of Hezbollah terrorists." Hezbollah is severely weakened after its war last year with Israel in which much of its top leadership was killed, and after losing a key ally with the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a conduit for Iran to send arms.
"If they do, (the) president and prime minister can rebuild that effective Lebanese state," Trump said.
Trump's comments on Iran came after he met Wednesday with Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh in a meeting attended by Crown Prince Mohammed.
Trump agreed to "say hello" to Sharaa before the US leader wraps up his stay in Saudi Arabia and heads to Qatar, where Trump is to be honored with a state visit. His Mideast tour also will take him to the United Arab Emirates.
Trump said he decided to meet with Sharaa after being encouraged to do so by Crown Prince Mohammed and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The president also pledged to lift yearslong sanctions on Syria.
"The sanctions were really crippling and very powerful," Trump said. "It’s not going to be easy anyway, so it gives them a good, strong chance."
"We made a speech last night and, that was the thing that got the biggest applause from the room," he said, referring to his participation in the Saudi-US Investment Forum in Riyadh.
The sanctions go back to the rule of Bashar al-Assad, who was ousted in December, and were intended to inflict major pain on his economy.
On Gaza, Trump said he appreciates the constructive role played GCC leaders in trying to bring an end to this "terrible conflict".
Like "so many in this region," he hoped for a future of "safety and dignity for the Palestinian people."
He concluded his speech by extending his gratitude Crown Prince Mohammed for hosting him. "It was an honor to spend a couple of days with you," said Trump. "I’ll see you again soon and I’ll see you a lot."
