Trump expects further talks with Iran despite rejecting its proposal
A day after rejecting Iran's proposal to end the conflict, US President Donald Trump said he expects more negotiations with Tehran as Qatar works to restart the dialogue.
US President Donald Trump said in a Sunday phone interview with Axios that he expects further negotiations between American negotiators and Iran, a day after he had rejected Tehran's proposal to end the standoff.
According to Trump, Qatar and other regional mediators are trying to restart talks between Washington and Iran, though the two sides' positions on key issues remain far apart. Trump said Iran wants to reach a deal, but not one the US is willing to accept — an agreement of the kind that might have been possible a year ago, he said, adding that Iran had overestimated its position.
Trump also noted that the US military is helping facilitate the transport of significant volumes of oil through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's position
On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told NBC that despite Trump's rejection of Iran's proposal, Tehran still seeks a diplomatic resolution.
Two regional sources confirmed Trump's comment about talks continuing next week, saying they expect another round of indirect dialogue between the US and Iran as early as Monday. It remains unclear whether the differences can be overcome.
As a reminder, Iran had proposed reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resuming nuclear talks within a week if the US lifted its naval blockade, canceled sanctions on oil sales, and restored a ceasefire across the region. According to a source cited by Axios, during Tuesday's talks American negotiators made clear to Iran that it does not control the strait and therefore cannot make demands regarding it.
