RIYADH: President Donald Trump told Gulf leaders on Wednesday that he urgently wants “to make a deal” with Iran to wind down its nuclear programme but that Tehran must end its support of proxy groups throughout the region as part of any potential agreement.

“(Iran) must stop sponsoring terror, halt its bloody proxy wars, and permanently and verifiably cease pursuit of nuclear weapons,” Trump said in remarks at a meeting of leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council hosted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Saudi capital. “They cannot have a nuclear weapon.”

The US and Iran have engaged in four rounds of talks since early last month focused on Iran’s nuclear program. Trump has repeatedly said that he believes brokering a deal is possible, but that the window is closing.