Trump backs US-Iran talks in Geneva, cautions of fallout if efforts collapse

US President Donald Trump cast himself as an indirect but watchful participant as Washington and Tehran prepared for another diplomatic reckoning in Geneva, voicing guarded optimism for a breakthrough even as he cautioned that failure would carry consequences.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on his return from Florida, Trump described Iran as “a very tough negotiator”, yet said he hoped its representatives would prove “more reasonable” at the table. “They want to make a deal,” he repeated, suggesting that the alternative was too grave for either side to contemplate.

His remarks came as American and Iranian officials readied for fresh talks centred on Tehran’s nuclear programme and the wider tremors it has sent through the Middle East. Trump pointed to recent US military action as a reminder of the stakes, asserting that Iran had been on the cusp of acquiring a nuclear weapon. “If that happened,” he said, “it would have been a whole different deal.”

At home, the president painted a portrait of economic resurgence. He cited what he called sharply lower inflation and falling fuel prices, invoking his campaign refrain of “drill, baby, drill” as the engine behind cheaper gasoline and, by extension, easing costs across the economy. The country, he said, had “inherited a mess” but was now rebounding “very, very powerfully”.

Trump also claimed historic improvements in public safety, declaring that murder rates had fallen to their lowest levels since 1900. He credited an aggressive approach to border enforcement, saying tens of thousands of migrants — including individuals he characterised as criminals — had been removed.

Turning to Capitol Hill, Trump said he would meet Democrats over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, even as he accused them of precipitating a government shutdown. He sharpened his attack by criticising Democratic opposition to stricter voting requirements, alleging resistance to voter ID and proof-of-citizenship measures.

Responding to questions about the Jeffrey Epstein matter, Trump said he had “nothing to hide” and insisted he had been exonerated. On Cuba, he described the island as a “failed nation” facing humanitarian strain and said discussions were under way, including outreach led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Pressed on what might follow if diplomacy with Iran faltered, Trump declined to spell out specifics, remarking that any operation would not be “a very tough” one. He also alluded to a recent conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying a decision on additional weapons for Taiwan would be made soon.

In a nod to global cooperation, Trump spoke of working alongside the United Nations on what he suggested could become a historic initiative. He reserved warm praise for First Lady Melania Trump, predicting she would be remembered as one of the great occupants of that role.

The Geneva talks unfold against the long shadow of fractured US-Iran relations, where fragile understandings have repeatedly yielded to sanctions, brinkmanship and military escalation. With crises simmering from Ukraine to the Middle East, energy security, alliance politics and nuclear non-proliferation remain the high-stakes backdrop to Washington’s diplomatic choreography.

With IANS inputs