US President Donald Trump said Iran is showing great interest in reaching a deal with Washington, although negotiations remain blocked over its nuclear program.
Trump told the media today that his administration received a call "from the other side" this morning, referring to Iran, adding that "they would very much like to make a deal."
His comments to reporters at the White House come less than three hours after the US imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports and after marathon talks in Pakistan this weekend that failed to yield a deal.
Trump claimed that the critical point in the talks with Tehran "was the nuclear issue," adding that "Iran will not have nuclear weapons."
"We agreed on a lot of things, but they didn't agree on this, and I think they will. I'm almost certain of that. In fact, I'm certain of that. If they don't agree, there's no deal. There will never be a deal," Trump said.
He said another priority for the US is to recover the enriched uranium still in Iran's possession, telling reporters: "We're going to get the dust back. We're going to get it back. Either we're going to get it back from them, or we're going to get it ourselves."
Speaking to the media after a round of talks over the weekend, Trump stressed that the Iranian side has asked for continued dialogue. "They would very much like to make a deal," he said, adding that "the other side has even called us," which he said shows Tehran's willingness to compromise.
Negotiations and the role of the American team
Trump praised the efforts of his negotiating team, citing Vice President JD Vance, as well as envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, whom he said have done a "great job" in the diplomatic efforts.
However, a meeting held in Pakistan over the weekend failed to produce a concrete agreement.
The nuclear issue – the key sticking point
According to Trump, the main obstacle in the negotiations remains Iran's nuclear program. "Iran will not have nuclear weapons," he stressed, making it clear that this is a red line for the US.
"We agreed on a lot of things, but they didn't agree on this," the US president added.
However, Trump expressed optimism about a possible solution, stating that he is “confident” that Iran will ultimately accept the terms. “If they don’t agree, there’s no deal,” he concluded.
Prospects for negotiations
Recent statements suggest that, despite deep tensions and disagreements, there is still room for an agreement between the two countries.
Analysts estimate that future developments will depend largely on Iran's flexibility on the nuclear issue and the willingness of both sides to make concessions in negotiations.
