United States President Donald Trump has said that Iran may be "inclined" towards direct diplomatic talks with Washington, despite a backdrop of mounting tensions and escalating rhetoric between the two nations.
Addressing media persons on Thursday, President Trump conveyed cautious optimism regarding the possibility of face-to-face engagement with Tehran, indicating a shift in Iran’s stance on mediation.
“I think it would be better if we had direct talks,” the President said. “I think it goes faster, and you understand the other side a lot better than if you go through intermediaries. They wanted to use intermediaries. I don’t think that’s necessarily true anymore.”
Last year, President Trump had extended an invitation to the Iranian leadership to initiate negotiations concerning Iran’s nuclear ambitions. While this overture was accompanied by direct threats, it failed to yield substantive progress. Tehran, in response, had reiterated its unwillingness to hold direct talks, asserting that indirect discussions were more acceptable.
The US has, meanwhile, intensified economic pressure on the Islamic Republic by ratcheting up sanctions aimed at crippling Iran’s vital oil exports, particularly those destined for China.
Since his return to office in January, President Trump has pledged to usher in “peace” across global flashpoints. However, his approach to Iran has remained characteristically unpredictable—oscillating between diplomatic overtures and stark threats of military action.
“If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing,” he declared last week, underscoring the high stakes of the ongoing standoff.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had last month warned against American sabre-rattling, stating emphatically:
“The US must know that, when facing Iran, threats will never achieve anything. The US and others must know that, if they commit any malicious act against the Iranian nation, they will receive a severe blow.”
In his latest remarks, President Trump acknowledged Tehran’s precarious position, remarking:
“I think they’re concerned; I think they feel vulnerable, and I don’t want them to feel that way.”
While the path to any formal negotiation remains uncertain, Thursday’s comments reflect a possible thaw in the rigid diplomatic impasse that has marked US-Iran relations in recent years.
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