Trump suggests new talks with Iran to begin on Monday
Tehran has not responded to the suggestion that new talks are imminent. Trump has previously said a negotiated end to the war is close, only for strikes to resume.
President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that new discussions with Iran are slated to commence on Monday, following his decision to call off what he described as "massive" military strikes against the nation.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump stated, "They knew the extent of the attack because they saw it forming. We're talking to them in the form of a negotiation. It begins tomorrow afternoon." He indicated that Iran and US allies in the Middle East had requested he "hold off" on any attack, as the "perimeters" of a deal had been established, a claim he previously made on Truth Social.
Iran has yet to comment on Trump's remarks. The US president has frequently asserted that a negotiated resolution to the conflict is imminent, only for retaliatory strikes to resume.
During his Air Force One remarks, Trump refrained from setting a deadline for a deal with Tehran, noting, "We'll just see how it is. We're ready to go anytime we want... I'm not looking to kill people." He also mentioned that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, along with US partners like the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, had urged him against conducting strikes over the weekend.
"We were all set to go," Trump said. "The reason they asked is [that] they think there's a deal. There's a deal on Hormuz, and there will be a deal on the nuclear."
Following Trump's announcement, global oil prices declined in Asian trading on Monday morning. Brent Crude oil saw a 4.5% drop to $83.98 (£62.26), while US-traded oil fell by 4.6% to $80.74 (£59.85). Energy prices have been volatile since the conflict began on February 28, as traders reacted to disruptions in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for approximately 20% of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency refuted Trump's assertion that Tehran had requested a halt to military action, labeling his claims as "nothing but a new lie." However, Iranian media reported on Sunday that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated negotiations with Oman regarding a deal on the Strait of Hormuz were "on track for finalisation."
The US president did not specify the venue or potential attendees for Monday's talks.
Trump also remarked on Air Force One that the planned strikes would have been "the biggest attack since World War II" and could have jeopardized the prospects of a negotiated end to the months-long conflict. He declined to confirm if he had intended to target Iranian energy infrastructure, which some international law experts suggest could constitute a war crime.
Earlier, Iran's acting Defence Minister Majid Ibn al-Reza stated that Tehran considers every threat from its adversaries "real and credible," even if it's part of psychological warfare. "We will neither be caught off guard nor remain passive," he added.
The US president has previously issued dire warnings to Tehran, only to subsequently emphasize that diplomacy was being pursued. In a Saturday post, he declared the US was "locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II." Yet, he also stated that canceling the attack would be "for the future benefit of the world and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran."
On April 7, Trump had warned that "a whole civilisation will die tonight" if Iran refused peace talks, also threatening to destroy civilian infrastructure and power plants. That threat led to historic face-to-face talks in Pakistan, led by Vice-President JD Vance, though those negotiations did not yield a deal.
The Trump administration has largely disregarded data indicating that the war and its economic impact are broadly unpopular with Americans, including many Republicans. Polls showing widespread dissatisfaction with the handling of the war have raised concerns among some conservative strategists ahead of the upcoming November midterms.
*Additional reporting by Peter Hoskins.*
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