This came in a speech he delivered during his meeting with company presidents and businessmen on the second day of his visit to Qatar, part of a Gulf tour that began Tuesday in Saudi Arabia.
Trump said, "I want Iran to be a great country, but it cannot have a nuclear weapon," noting that "we do not want to take the second step and make threats."
He added, "We will see what happens in these talks. We are serious about negotiating with Iran for a sustainable peace," adding, "I believe we are close to reaching an agreement with Iran."
Trump said, "Tehran should thank Emir Tamim (the Emir of Qatar), because others (referring to Israel in particular) want us to deal a severe blow to Iran, unlike Qatar."
On Sunday, a fourth round of negotiations between Iran and the United States concluded in the Sultanate of Oman. While Tehran described the negotiations as "difficult but useful," Washington considered them "encouraging."
Further rounds of negotiations are expected in an attempt to reimpose restrictions on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions.
The United States, Israel, and other countries accuse Iran of seeking to acquire a nuclear weapon, while Tehran says its program is designed for civilian purposes, including electricity generation.
Israel is the only country in the region with a nuclear arsenal, which is not subject to international oversight, and has continued to occupy Arab territories in Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon for decades.
