Trump warns Iranian leader as nuclear talks face venue dispute

Amid a deepening dispute over the venue for critical nuclear talks, US President Donald Trump declared that Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei "should be very worried." The warning, delivered in a forthcoming NBC News interview, underscores the tense backdrop against which negotiations between Washington and Tehran are supposed to proceed this week, even as their location remains unresolved.

Diplomatic deadlock over venue

According to a report from Axios, the U.S. informed Iran it would not agree to Tehran's demand to change the location and format of talks initially planned for Istanbul, Türkiye. A senior U.S. official was quoted saying, "We told them it is this or nothing, and they said, 'Ok, then nothing'." U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged the confusion, stating, "We thought we had an established forum that had been agreed to in Türkiye... I saw conflicting reports yesterday from the Iranian side saying that they had not agreed to that." Iranian media had indicated talks would proceed on Friday in Oman's capital, Muscat.

Trump's combative rhetoric and claims

In his interview excerpts, Trump framed the pressure on Iran as successful, linking it to U.S. military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June. "That country is a mess right now because of us. We went in, we wiped out their nuclear. Peace in the Middle East," he claimed. He also asserted U.S. support for Iranian protesters, saying, "We've had their back." The president's comments align with a continued U.S. military buildup in the region, which his administration describes as a tactic to force Iran to the negotiating table.

Regional mediation and core disagreements

The diplomatic impasse has highlighted the role of mediator nations. Türkiye has played an active role in recent days, attempting to broker talks, while Oman has a history of facilitating indirect contacts. The core issues remain deeply contentious: the U.S. and its ally Israel accuse Iran of seeking nuclear weapons, while Tehran insists its program is peaceful. The U.S. also demands discussions address Iran's ballistic missiles and regional activities, points Tehran rejects. As the senior U.S. official warned, "We want to reach a real deal quickly or people will look at other options."