President Trump Says Iran ‘Wants To Make A Deal’ As US Talks Continue

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday indicated that negotiations between Washington and Tehran may be moving forward, saying recent discussions had been productive and could eventually lead to an agreement.

Addressing reporters at the White House, Trump said the US had held positive talks with Iran over the past 24 hours and suggested Tehran was eager to reach a settlement.

“They want to make a deal badly,” Trump stated, while reiterating that the United States would not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons.

The President rejected suggestions that Iran had refused to cooperate in the negotiations. He maintained that diplomacy was still possible despite the recent conflict between the two countries.

At the same time, Trump made a series of strong claims about the condition of Iran’s military infrastructure. He alleged that Iranian naval assets, aircraft, missile reserves, radar systems and anti-aircraft capabilities had been severely destroyed during the conflict.

“Their leaders are all dead. So, I think we won,” Trump said.

The US President further claimed that Iran would take decades to rebuild its military strength if hostilities ended immediately.

Despite the tensions, Trump avoided setting any deadline for a possible agreement with Tehran. “It’ll happen,” he said when asked whether a timeline existed for the negotiations.

Trump also spoke about the economic impact of the conflict, saying he had expected oil prices to rise sharply and financial markets to suffer major losses. He further claimed oil prices remained lower than expected and US stock markets had continued to perform strongly during the crisis.

The President additionally mentioned discussions with executives from major American energy firms, including ExxonMobil and Chevron. He said the talks focused on renewed interest in Venezuela.

Iran, however, denied reports suggesting that Tehran and Washington were close to signing a one-page agreement to end hostilities.

Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency called the reports ‘fabricated’. It claimed the reports aimed to influence global markets and lower oil prices.

According to Iranian media reports, Tehran has not yet responded to the latest American message. Reports said Pakistan delivered the message.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said officials were still reviewing the US proposal. He added that Iran would issue a formal response after completing the assessment process.

Also Read: Iran Rejects Reports of Near Deal With US, Says Proposal Still Under Review