The US president indicates that Iran initially pursued negotiations through intermediaries, but believes the country may have shifted its stance.
Washington, DC – Donald Trump has indicated that Iran might be open to direct negotiations with the United States, even amid escalating tensions and mutual threats between the two nations.
While speaking to reporters on Thursday, the US president expressed a favorable outlook on the possibility of direct diplomacy with Tehran.
“I believe it’s preferable to have direct discussions,” he stated. “This approach tends to be quicker, and you gain a much clearer understanding of the other party than you would through intermediaries. They had intended to use intermediaries, but I don’t think that’s necessarily the case any longer.”
Last month, Trump reached out to Iranian leadership with a letter proposing negotiations to tackle Iran’s nuclear program. The US president has also issued frequent warnings of potential military action against Iran.
Tehran has dismissed the idea of direct negotiations with Washington, yet has expressed willingness for indirect diplomacy.
It remains uncertain if Iran has indeed shifted its position or if Trump is merely speculating about their intentions.
The US administration continues to impose sanctions on Iran with the goal of severely restricting the nation’s oil exports, particularly to China.
In 2018, during his first term, Trump abandoned a multilateral agreement that had allowed Iran to reduce its nuclear program in return for the lifting of international sanctions on its economy.
Tehran asserts that it is not pursuing nuclear weapons, while Israel, America’s primary ally in the region, is widely believed to possess an undeclared nuclear arsenal.
Since resuming his presidency in January, Trump has vowed to bring “peace” to various global conflicts, although his approach to Iran has combined public diplomatic gestures with aggressive rhetoric.
“If they fail to reach a deal, there will be bombing,” he proclaimed last week.
Iranian leaders have countered with their own threats, asserting that any attack on their country would lead to retaliation against US personnel and interests in the Middle East.
“The US must realize that threats will yield no results when it comes to Iran,” Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated last month, as reported by Iran’s Tasnim News Agency.
“The US and others should understand that any harmful act against the Iranian nation will result in a severe response.”
However, Iran’s influence in the region seems to have diminished amid the protracted war in Gaza and other conflicts.
For instance, Israel has eliminated key political and military figures from Lebanon’s Hezbollah, once a formidable ally of Iran. Moreover, Iran lost another significant partner when armed opposition factions overthrew Syrian President Bashar al-Assad last December.
“I think they’re apprehensive, and I believe they sense vulnerability; I don’t want them to feel that way,” Trump remarked on Thursday, referring to Iran.
