Trump said he remained willing to give diplomacy an opportunity despite warning that military action could resume if talks failed.
US President Donald Trump on Monday expressed optimism about the prospects of a diplomatic breakthrough with Iran, saying there was a “good chance” ongoing efforts to restart negotiations could produce results, even as a fragile pause in hostilities between the two countries entered its third day.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said he remained willing to give diplomacy an opportunity despite warning that military action could resume if talks failed.
“I have a lot of patience… We’ll see what happens. I think there is a good chance that something could happen,” Trump said when asked about negotiations with Tehran.
The US president added that Iran had sought to de-escalate tensions and reopen channels of communication.
“They asked us very nicely, ‘Please stop, let’s meet.’ And that’s where we are right now. We’ll see what happens. If we don’t make a deal, we go back to the same thing,” he said.
Third Day Without Direct US-Iran Strikes
The comments came as the United States and Iran refrained from launching direct attacks against each other for a third consecutive day following nearly two weeks of intense hostilities.
The latest conflict erupted after diplomatic efforts over Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz collapsed, triggering renewed US military strikes on Iranian targets. The confrontation has heightened tensions across the Middle East and rattled global energy markets.
While Trump’s administration has indicated that the pause in military action is intended to create space for diplomacy, Tehran denied that direct negotiations with Washington are currently underway.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said mediators were relaying messages between the two sides, but no formal talks were taking place.
“Mediators may convey messages from the American side to us regarding current developments in the region. But at present, we are not engaged in any negotiations with the United States,” Baqaei said.
Source: https://www.news18.com/world/trump-good-chance-iran-deal-fragile-truce-10236761.html