'Intelligent or brutal', only two solutions for Iran: U.S. President Donald Trump

President Trump warns Iran of potential airstrikes or a diplomatic deal as the only solutions to nuclear program impasse.

President Donald Trump kept up pressure on Thursday (May 15, 2025) on Iran, warning Tehran that a deal over its nuclear programme or potential airstrikes are the only two solutions to the diplomatic impasse.

Speaking in Qatar before business leaders, President Trump said, “We'd like to see if we could solve the Iran problem in an intelligent way, as opposed to a brutal way. There's only two: intelligent and brutal. Those are the two alternatives.” Mr. Trump also said Qatar's ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, had been pushing for diplomatic deal over Iran's nuclear programme. Qatar shares a massive offshore oil and gas field that's crucial to its wealth with Iran.

“I said last night that Iran is very lucky to have the emir because he’s actually fighting for them. He doesn’t want us to do a vicious blow to Iran,” Mr. Trump said. “He says, ‘You can make a deal. You can make a deal.’ He’s really fighting. And I really mean this: I think that Iran should say a big thank you to the emir.”

At another point, the U.S. President Trump mused, “In the case of Iran, they make a good drone.”