WASHINGTON DC: United States President Donald Trump has said that although the United States is communicating with Iran amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, Tehran is not yet ready to reach an agreement that could end the war.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, the US leader confirmed that discussions were taking place but suggested that Iran had not fully committed to negotiating a resolution to the conflict, which has now entered its third week and continues to unsettle global markets.
“Yes, we’re talking to them,” Trump said when asked if diplomatic efforts were underway. However, he added that Iran was still reluctant to move toward a settlement.
But I don’t think they’re ready. But they are getting pretty close,” he stated.
Despite the ongoing contacts, Trump expressed uncertainty about whether he would pursue a deal immediately, arguing that the situation within Iran’s leadership structure had become unclear following heavy casualties during the early phase of the war.
According to reports, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several senior officials were killed during the first wave of joint US–Israeli attacks launched on February 28, an event that significantly escalated tensions across the region.
Trump nonetheless insisted that Iran remained eager to reach an agreement.
“They want to make a deal badly, he said.
However, Iran rejected the claim that negotiations were ongoing. The country’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, denied that talks with Washington were taking place.
In an interview on CBS’s Face the Nation, Araghchi said Iran had no interest in negotiating with the United States, particularly after the attacks.
We are stable and strong enough. We are only defending our people, he said.
The Iranian minister also criticized Washington’s approach to diplomacy, arguing that previous negotiations had been undermined by military action.
“We don’t see any reason why we should talk with Americans, because we were talking with them when they decided to attack us, Araghchi stated. There is no good experience talking with Americans.
The conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel have intensified in recent weeks, raising concerns about wider instability in the Middle East and its potential impact on global oil markets and international security.
