February 19, 2026, 4:55 p.mFebruary 19, 2026, 5:30 p.m
US President Donald Trump has warned Iran of significant consequences if Tehran does not agree to a deal in nuclear negotiations with the US. If an agreement is not reached, there will be “a very different path,” Trump warned at the first meeting of his peace council. The world will “probably find out in the next ten days” which direction things will go.
With a view to the ongoing negotiations, Trump said there were “good discussions.” He reiterated: “They cannot have a nuclear weapon – you cannot have peace in the Middle East if they have a nuclear weapon.” At the same time, he emphasized that it was not easy to make what he considered a good deal. But an agreement is absolutely necessary: “We have to make a significant deal, otherwise bad things will happen.”
The negotiations are about Iran’s controversial nuclear program. The USA wants to prevent the leadership in Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Iran’s government says it is willing to limit its nuclear program, but in return demands the lifting of tough economic sanctions. Tehran has so far ruled out other topics such as limiting its missile program.
Trump announces billions in aid for the Gaza Strip
US President Donald Trump announced billions in aid for the Gaza Strip at the first meeting of his controversial peace council. Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and Kuwait have pledged $7 billion (5.9 billion euros) for an aid package, Trump announced in the US capital Washington.
He initially did not provide any further details about what this money would be used for.Image: keystone
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is also raising $2 billion to support the Gaza Strip. The world football association FIFA will also help raise $75 million for football-related projects in Gaza, Trump said. According to him, the USA will also provide $10 billion for the Peace Council. The United States is very generous with money because there is nothing more important than peace, emphasized the US President. He initially did not provide any further details about what this money would be used for.
Trump: Five countries will send soldiers to Gaza
According to US President Donald Trump, five states want to send soldiers to the destroyed coastal strip in order to ensure lasting peace in the Gaza Strip. Trump named Morocco, Albania, Kosovo, Kazakhstan and Indonesia at the first meeting of the Peace Council in the US capital Washington. He didn’t give any details.
The Peace Council is supposed to set up the so-called International Stabilization Force (ISF), which is supposed to ensure order in the Gaza Strip.
Several Muslim-majority countries had previously signaled their willingness to provide soldiers, but so far only Indonesia has made a concrete announcement. The Southeast Asian country has promised to send 5,000 to 8,000 soldiers. It was not initially announced how many soldiers the other countries wanted to send. According to Trump, the international force should also secure the ceasefire in the war between Israel and the Islamist Hamas and ensure lasting peace.
Trump founded the Peace Council at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss Alpine town of Davos. The body currently has around two dozen members, including Hungary, Israel, Belarus, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. (sda/dpa)