WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Sunday that the United States was in discussions with Iran as the war entered its third week, but that Tehran was not yet ready for a deal to end the conflict.
“Yes, we’re talking to them,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, without detailing the nature of the contacts, when asked whether any diplomacy was underway to end the fighting that has spread across the Middle East and rattled global markets.
“But I don’t think they’re ready. But they are getting pretty close,” Trump said.
Iran’s foreign minister earlier denied that any talks with the United States were taking place.
Trump’s comments came after he said over the weekend that Iran was seeking negotiations to end the conflict but warned he would not accept any agreement unless Tehran accepted tougher terms, including abandoning its nuclear ambitions.
Speaking to NBC News on Saturday, Trump said Iranian officials had signalled interest in a settlement but that their proposals so far fell short of what Washington was prepared to accept.
“Iran wants to make a deal, and I don’t want to make it because the terms aren’t good enough yet,” Trump said in the interview.
The president said any agreement would require Iran to completely abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons and accept what he described as “very solid” conditions before the United States halts its military campaign alongside Israel.
Trump added that military pressure would continue until Tehran agrees to stronger terms, stressing that Washington was not ready to end the operation prematurely.
He also raised uncertainty about the status of Iran’s leadership, questioning whether the country’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, remains alive amid the ongoing conflict.
The remarks come as US forces intensify strikes on Iranian military facilities under Operation Epic Fury, a campaign launched on February 28 targeting missile bases, air defence systems, and other strategic assets.
Trump predicted that sustained attacks could significantly degrade Iran’s military arsenal within days if the campaign continues at its current pace.
The escalating confrontation has heightened fears of a wider regional conflict, with Iran warning of retaliation and regional powers closely monitoring developments as diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the crisis remain uncertain.
