ShareABU DHABI: US President Donald Trump said Thursday a deal was close on Iran’s nuclear program that would avert military action, sending oil prices tumbling, as he boasted of raising “trillions of dollars” on a Gulf tour. He made the remarks in Qatar before flying on to the United Arab Emirates for the third and final leg of the tour that began in Saudi Arabia.
Trump has said the tour has resulted in trillions of dollars in deals and is hoping to secure more billion-dollar business agreements in the UAE — which has sought to become a hub for technology and artificial intelligence. “We’re not going to be making any nuclear dust in Iran,” Trump said earlier in Doha. “I think we’re getting close to maybe doing a deal without having to do this,” he said, referring to military action.
Oil prices plunged more than three percent following his remarks, on rising hopes for a nuclear deal that could see Iranian exports return to the market. Iran has held four rounds of talks with the Trump administration, which has sought to avert threatened military action by the Zionist entity while keeping up its “maximum pressure” campaign. “You probably read today the story about Iran. It’s sort of agreed to the terms,” Trump said.
The US president did not specify which remarks he was referring to, but an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Ali Shamkhani, told NBC News that Tehran would give up its stocks of highly enriched uranium as part of a deal in which Washington lifts sanctions. Trump said Iran should “say a big thank you” to Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, who had pressed the US leader to avoid military action against his country’s giant neighbor.
Speaking to troops at Al-Udeid, the biggest US military base in the region, Trump said his priority was “to end conflicts, not start them”. But he warned that “I will never hesitate to wield American power if it’s necessary to defend the United States of America or our partners” — while flanked on stage by a fighter jet and an MQ-9 drone. He also said Qatar would invest $10 billion in the coming years to support Al-Udeid, which hosts the regional headquarters of the US military’s Central Command.
Trump estimated his “record” tour would raise between $3.5 trillion and $4 trillion. The president hailed what he said was a record $200 billion deal for Boeing aircraft from flag-carrier Qatar Airways. Saudi Arabia promised its own $600 billion in investment, including one of the largest-ever purchases of US weapons.
Meanwhile, Trump again said the United States wanted to “take” Gaza, which has been obliterated by the Zionist entity. Gaza would become a “freedom zone”, Trump said, without elaborating. Speaking to a group of officials and business leaders in Qatar, which has hosted Hamas’ political office in Doha for years, Trump said he has “concepts for Gaza that I think are very good: Make it a freedom zone, let the United States get involved”. Trump said he had seen “aerial shots where, I mean, there’s practically no building standing. It’s not like you’re trying to save something. There’s no buildings. People are living under the rubble of buildings that collapsed, which is not acceptable.”
“I want to see that (Gaza) be a freedom zone. And if it’s necessary, I think I’d be proud to have the United States have it, take it, make it a freedom zone. Let some good things happen,” Trump added. Senior Hamas official Basem Naim retorted Gaza was not for sale. “Gaza is an integral part of Palestinian land – it is not real estate for sale on the open market. We remain firmly committed to our land and our national cause, and we are prepared to make every sacrifice to preserve our homeland and secure our people’s future,” Naim said in a statement.
In Abu Dhabi, Trump was welcomed at the airport by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and children waving UAE and US flags, with women performing a traditional dance. Afterwards, he toured the opulent Sheikh Zayed mosque — the country’s largest, with its giant white columns and high walls adorned with golden molding. “It is so beautiful,” Trump told reporters inside the mosque, which he said had been closed for the day. “First time they closed it. It’s in honor of the United States. Better than in honor of me. Let’s give it to the country. That’s a great tribute.”
English-language Emirati newspaper The National has reported that the US and UAE are working on announcing an AI and tech partnership during Trump’s visit. The UAE is betting on artificial intelligence to help diversify its oil-reliant economy. But these ambitions hinge on access to advanced US technologies, including AI chips that were under restricted export. Two days ago, Trump rescinded further controls on AI chips, which were imposed by his predecessor Joe Biden to make it harder for China to access advanced technology. – Agencies
