Washington – Talks between the United States and Iran are ongoing, with President Donald Trump stating on Monday that both sides are seeking a deal, even as a deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz approaches. The development comes amid heightened tensions and threats of military action, but also signals a potential path toward de-escalation.
Trump said U.S. Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner spoke with a “top person” in the Iranian regime on Sunday and would continue discussions by phone on Monday. He declined to identify the Iranian official, noting they are not Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. “They want very much to make a deal. We’d like to make a deal, too,” Trump told reporters. Even though, he added a stark warning: “If negotiations fall apart, we’ll just maintain bombing our little hearts out.”
The president had previously threatened strikes on Iran’s power plants if the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened by Monday, but he extended the deadline by five days, citing the ongoing negotiations. This extension follows reports that Iranian officials, including Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament, have denied any talks took place.
According to ABC News, Trump stated that a key point of agreement is preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. “They’re not going to have a nuclear weapon, that’s number one,” he said. “That’s number one, two and three. They will never have a nuclear weapon,” adding, “They’ve agreed to that.” This claim comes despite previous commitments from Iran not to pursue nuclear weapons and despite a U.S. Intelligence assessment following “Operation Midnight Hammer” that Iran was not actively pursuing such a weapon.
The potential for a financial windfall for Iran is also emerging as a key factor in the discussions. Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island criticized the Trump administration for lifting sanctions on Iranian oil aboard tankers, which could provide Iran with approximately $14 billion, USA TODAY reported. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent lifted the sanctions on March 20, aiming to mitigate rising fuel costs.
Meanwhile, PBS NewsHour reported that Trump claimed Iran’s new leaders “gave us a present,” related to oil and the Strait of Hormuz, and that Kushner, Witkoff, Senator Marco Rubio, and Vance are involved in the negotiations. The announcement could influence future diplomatic talks and potentially reshape the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East.
The situation remains fluid, with conflicting reports and statements from both sides. Corriere della Sera reports that the Pentagon may have already taken steps to condition any potential agreement.
