Trump Says ‘We’re Talking’ With Iran, but It’s Not ‘Ready’ for Deal to End War
"Yes, we're talking to them," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, without providing details about the nature of the discussions. "But I don't think they're ready. But they are getting pretty close."
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – US President Donald Trump said Sunday that the United States was in discussions with Iran as the war in the Middle East enters its third week, but he acknowledged that Tehran was not yet ready to agree to a deal to end the conflict.
"Yes, we're talking to them," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, without providing details about the nature of the discussions. "But I don't think they're ready. But they are getting pretty close."
Trump also expressed uncertainty about pursuing a deal, citing the extensive loss of Iranian leadership during the US-Israeli attacks on February 28. "First of all, nobody even knows who you're dealing with, because most of their leadership has been killed," he said. Nevertheless, he claimed that Iran "want[s] to make a deal badly."
However, Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, rejected any claims of negotiations with the United States. In an interview with CBS's Face The Nation, Araghchi said, "We are stable and strong enough. We are only defending our people. We don't see any reason why we should talk with Americans, because we were talking with them when they decided to attack us. There is no good experience talking with Americans."
The conflicting statements underscore the uncertainty surrounding diplomatic efforts to end a war that has disrupted regional stability and global markets.