US President Donald Trump on Friday said he hopes Iran will agree to negotiate a peace deal over its nuclear weapons programme and that there will soon be a development regarding Tehran.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Mr Trump said “something's going to happen very soon” on the “situation” with Iran. “You'll be talking about that pretty soon, I guess, and hopefully we can have a peace deal,” he said.
In an interview aired on Friday, Mr Trump said he wants to negotiate a new nuclear deal with Iran and has sent leaders in Tehran a letter to see if they would be open to talks. He said he hoped the letter, sent on Wednesday, would avoid the need for any military action.
“I've written them a letter saying: 'I hope you're going to negotiate', because if we have to go in militarily, it's going to be a terrible thing for them,” he told Fox Business.
“I think they want to get that letter. The other alternative is we have to do something, because you can't let them have a nuclear weapon.”
Iran's leaders have said, however, that they would not be willing to resume negotiations with the US on its nuclear programme while Washington continues with its “maximum pressure” campaign.
During Mr Trump's first six weeks back in office, he has upended decades of US foreign policy as part of his “America First” approach.
He has sought rapprochement with Russia and its President Vladimir Putin, as he attempts to bring an end to the war in Ukraine, while also cutting US military aid to Kyiv. He has proposed displacing two million Palestinians from Gaza and the construction of a “Riviera of the Middle East” in the coastal enclave.
In 2018, a year into his first term in the White House, Mr Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal, an internationally brokered agreement signed in 2015 that sought to limit Tehran's nuclear ambitions in exchange for sanctions relief.
The move undermined years of efforts by the US, China, France, Russia, the UK, Germany and the European Union, and reimposed all sanctions on Iran that had been lifted.
Mr Trump also accused his predecessor Joe Biden's administration of lifting sanctions on Iran, allowing Tehran to raise revenue from oil sales.
“[Mr Biden] took the sanctions off, they became rich under Biden,” he said on Friday. “They went from having no money, to having $300 billion all in a short period – oil builds up fast.”
Early last month, Mr Trump signed an executive order restoring the so-called maximum pressure policy against Iran, with the aim of reducing the country's oil flows by more than 90 per cent.
“We will not enter any direct negotiations with the US so long as they continue their maximum pressure policy and their threats,” Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Foreign Minister, told AFP on the sidelines of an Organisation of Islamic Co-operation meeting in Jeddah.
“But it doesn't mean that, regarding our nuclear programme, we will not negotiate with other parties, we are talking to the three European countries.”
Mr Araghchi also warned against a US or Israeli military attack on Iran, saying it would set off a wider conflict in the Middle East.
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From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
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The specs
Engine 60kwh FWD
Battery Rimac 120kwh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry
Power 204hp Torque 360Nm
Price, base / as tested Dh174,500
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
More on Quran memorisation:
Racecard
6pm: The Pointe - Conditions (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m
6.35pm: Palm West Beach - Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (T) 1,800m
7.10pm: The View at the Palm - Handicap (TB) Dh85,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
7.45pm: Nakeel Graduate Stakes - Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m
8.20pm: Club Vista Mare - Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,900m
8.55pm: The Palm Fountain - Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,200m
9.30pm: The Palm Tower - Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,600m
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
