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 ready for a deal to end it.
“Yes, we’re talking to them,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, without detailing the nature of such talks, when asked if there was any diplomacy underway to end a conflict that has spread across the Middle East and roiled global markets.
“But I don’t think they’re ready. But they are getting pretty close,” Trump said.
Iran’s foreign minister had denied earlier that any talks with the United States were taking place.
Trump said he was not sure he wanted to make a deal to end the war “because first of all, nobody even knows who you’re dealing with, because most of their leadership has been killed.”
Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, and dozens of other Iranian officials died on the first day of the US-Israeli attacks on February 28.
Trump insisted, however, that “they want to make a deal badly”.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran was not interested in talks with the United States, pushing back on Trump’s stance.
“We are stable and strong enough. We are only defending our people,” Araghchi told CBS’s “Face The Nation,” in an interview aired Sunday.
“We don’t see any reason why we should talk with Americans, because we were talking with them when they decided to attack us,” he said. “There is no good experience talking with Americans.”
Trump: Iran Not Yet Ready For Deal To End War
Former US President Donald Trump said Sunday that the United States is in contact with Iran regarding the ongoing conflict but believes Tehran is not yet prepared to reach a deal to end the war.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump confirmed that discussions were taking place, though he declined to provide details about the nature of the talks as the conflict in the Middle East enters its third week.
“Yes, we’re talking to them,” Trump said when asked if diplomatic efforts were underway to end the fighting that has unsettled global markets and widened tensions across the region.
“But I don’t think they’re ready. But they are getting pretty close,” he added.
Earlier, Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi had denied that any negotiations with the United States were taking place.
Trump also expressed uncertainty about pursuing a deal, saying it was difficult to determine who exactly the United States would be negotiating with after many Iranian leaders were reportedly killed.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and dozens of other officials were said to have died on the first day of the joint US-Israeli attacks on February 28.
Despite the uncertainty, Trump insisted that Iran was eager to reach an agreement.
However, Araghchi rejected the suggestion, saying Tehran had no interest in negotiations with Washington.
“We are stable and strong enough. We are only defending our people,” he said during an interview on CBS’s “Face The Nation.”
He added that Iran saw no reason to engage in talks with the United States, arguing that discussions had been ongoing before the attacks began.
“There is no good experience talking with Americans,” Araghchi said.
