US President Donald Trump on Monday (March 23) speaking to reporters in Florida before departing for Memphis, said the United States has made significant progress in talks with Iran, claiming both sides are close to a deal to ease tensions in the Middle East.
Trump said: “We have had very, very strong talks. We'll see where they lead. We have major points of agreement… almost all points of agreement.”
Direct engagement with Iranian leadership Trump said US officials have held discussions with senior Iranian leaders, though he did not name them.
He added: “They want to make a deal, and we are very willing to make a deal.”
According to Trump, his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner were involved in the talks.
Strike on Iran delayed Trump earlier said he ordered a five-day delay in planned US strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure following what he described as “good and productive conversations.”
In a social media post, Trump wrote that discussions were aimed at a “complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East.”
Oil, Hormuz and economic stakes The US President suggested a deal could quickly stabilise global energy markets.
“The price of oil will drop like a rock as soon as the deal is done,” Trump said, adding that the Strait of Hormuz could reopen soon if talks succeed.
He also claimed Iran initiated contact to avoid potential US strikes on key infrastructure: “So tomorrow morning, sometime their time, we were expected to blow up their largest electric generating plant that cost over $10 billion to build. It's a very good one....Why would they want that. So they called, I didn't call. They called.”
‘They will never have a nuclear weapon’ Trump reiterated that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons remains a core objective.
“They will never have a nuclear weapon… They’ve agreed to that,” he said, while adding that talks included multiple areas of agreement.
He also warned of military action if negotiations collapse: “We’ll just keep bombing” if talks fail.
Uncertainty over Iranian leadership Trump said he had not heard from Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei and expressed uncertainty about his status.
“I don’t know if he’s alive… I don’t want him to be killed,” Trump said.
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Regime change remarks Trump suggested possible changes in Iran’s leadership structure.
“There will be a very serious form of regime change in Iran,” he said, adding that options could include “joint leadership.”
Deal possible but not guaranteed While striking an optimistic tone, Trump acknowledged uncertainty.
“I think this is something that’s going to happen… but I can’t guarantee a deal,” he said.
If successful, he added, an agreement would mark “a great start for Iran and the region.”