Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Friday that Iran is interested in reaching a deal rather than facing military confrontation, despite Tehran’s firm stance that its missile and defense systems are “never” open for negotiation.
During a briefing at the White House, Trump said, “I can say this, they do want to make a deal,” although he did not offer specific details. His comments came amid increased U.S. military presence in the Gulf region, with warnings that time is “running out” for Iran to negotiate a nuclear agreement.
Iran’s foreign minister emphasized that there are currently no negotiations planned with the U.S., but Tehran remains open to talks based on “mutual respect” and trust. Meanwhile, the Kremlin announced that Iran’s Supreme National Security Council chief, Ali Larijani, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss “Middle Eastern and international issues,” according to state news agency Ria-Novosti.
Iran maintains that its nuclear program is entirely peaceful and has repeatedly denied accusations from the U.S. and allies that it seeks nuclear weapons. When asked if he had set a deadline for Iran to strike a deal, Trump responded, “Only they know for sure,” adding, “Hopefully we’ll make a deal. If we do, that’s good. If not, we’ll see what happens.”
The president also confirmed that a large U.S. naval “Armada” is en route to the region, but declined to specify when it might leave, stating, “We’ll see how it all works out. They have to float somewhere, so they might as well float near Iran.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reiterated that Iran’s missile defense systems would “never” be part of negotiations and reaffirmed the government’s stance that its nuclear activities are peaceful. After talks in Istanbul aimed at preventing U.S. action, he called for preparations for “fair and just negotiations.”
Trump’s recent warnings follow his pledge to intervene in response to Iran’s crackdown on protests earlier this month. He indicated that assistance was “on the way” but later said the execution of protesters had ceased. On Thursday, Trump told Iran it must do two things to avoid military action: halt nuclear activities and stop suppressing protesters.
According to human rights organizations, over 6,300 people have been killed in Iran’s protests since late December, including more than 5,900 protesters, with estimates suggesting the final death toll could exceed 25,000.
