1 hour ago
Last Updated:March 16, 2026, 07:22 IST
Trump said he had deliberately held back from negotiations, arguing that Iran’s leadership was too weakened and fragmented to engage meaningfully.
US President Donald Trump and Iran's New Supreme Leader Majtaba Khamenei | File Image
US President Donald Trump on Monday claimed that Iran is eager to negotiate as the war entered its third week, with Tehran earlier rejecting any such rush to make negotiations or a deal with the US.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said he had deliberately held back from negotiations, arguing that Iran’s leadership was too weakened and fragmented to engage meaningfully.
“They want to negotiate badly," Trump said, adding that he was unsure who exactly Washington would be dealing with, given that much of Iran’s senior leadership had been killed during the conflict.
Earlier, Iran flatly denied Trump’s assertion, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi saying Tehran had neither sought a ceasefire nor requested renewed talks, accusing the US of attacking Iran while earlier negotiations were still ongoing.
“We have never asked for a ceasefire, and we have never even asked for negotiations," Araghchi said in a television interview, stressing that Iran remains ready to defend itself “for as long as it takes."
As fighting continues to roil the Middle East and unsettle global energy markets, crude oil prices have hovered near $100 a barrel.
Despite the volatility, senior Trump administration officials predicted the conflict would end within weeks, followed by a drop in energy costs. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the administration expected a rebound in supplies and easing prices once hostilities subside.
Trump also said his administration is in talks with seven countries to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane that has been largely closed to oil tanker traffic during the war.
He argued that countries heavily dependent on Gulf oil have a responsibility to help police the waterway, noting that several of the potential partners are NATO members.
The White House is expected to announce a multinational coalition to escort ships through the strait, though US officials are still debating whether such operations would begin before or after the conflict ends.
Location :
United States of America (USA)
First Published:
March 16, 2026, 07:22 IST
News world Trump Says 'Iran Wants To Negotiate Badly' To End War; Tehran Signals No Rush For A Deal
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