Donald Trump said the United States is holding discussions with Iran as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East enters its third week, although he suggested Tehran is not yet ready to agree to a deal that could end the war.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump confirmed that diplomatic contacts were taking place but declined to provide details about the nature of the discussions.
“Yes, we’re talking to them,” Trump said when asked if diplomacy was underway to end the conflict 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,” he added.
The remarks came shortly after Abbas Araghchi denied that any negotiations with the United States were taking place, contradicting Trump’s claim.
Trump also expressed uncertainty about whether he wanted to pursue a deal immediately, citing the turmoil within Iran’s leadership following the initial wave of attacks.
“I’m not sure I want to make a deal because first of all, nobody even knows who you’re dealing with, because most of their leadership has been killed,” he said.
Among those killed at the start of the US–Israeli offensive last month were Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, along with dozens of other senior Iranian officials, according to U.S. accounts of the strikes.
Despite the leadership losses, Trump maintained that Tehran is eager to negotiate.
“They want to make a deal badly,” he insisted.
However, Iran’s foreign minister pushed back strongly against the suggestion that talks were underway.
“We are stable and strong enough. We are only defending our people,” Araghchi said during an interview on CBS’s “Face The Nation.”
He added that Iran had little interest in renewed negotiations with Washington following the outbreak of hostilities.
“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 said. “There is no good experience talking with Americans.”
The conflicting statements from Washington and Tehran highlight the deep mistrust between both sides as the war continues to escalate across the region.
