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Iran rejects US proposal but leaves room for talks
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US President Donald Trump on Thursday said Iran is “begging” to negotiate a deal with Washington, even as Tehran publicly maintains that it is not in talks with the United States and has criticised a US proposal to end the war as “one-sided”.“They (Iran) are begging to make a deal, not me. They're begging to make a deal, and anybody who saw what was happening over there would understand why they want to make a deal,” said Trump, speaking about the possibility of negotiations.During a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Trump also urged Iran to reach an agreement to end the ongoing US and Israeli bombing campaign or face further military action. “They now have the chance, that is Iran, to permanently abandon their nuclear ambitions and to join a new path forward,” he said. “We'll see if they want to do it. If they don't, we're their worst nightmare. In the meantime, we'll just keep blowing them away.”Trump added that Iranian leaders are capable negotiators but insisted the US is not the side seeking talks. “They say, we're not talking to them… They're not fools. They're very smart, in a certain way. I say they're lousy fighters, but they're great negotiators. They are begging to work out a deal,” he said.He suggested that any agreement should address key US concerns, including Iran’s military ambitions and security of shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said he was seeking a deal that would reopen the strategic waterway and curb Tehran’s military capabilities.At the same time, Trump acknowledged that negotiations may not succeed. “I don't know if we'll be able to do that,” he said. “I don't know if we're willing to do that.”US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also defended the administration’s stance, warning about the potential threat posed by Iran if it acquires nuclear weapons. “These people will kill as many Americans as they have a chance to do, and if they have a nuclear weapon... they could kill millions of Americans... and that is a risk that was not going to continue to exist as long as we had this president,” Rubio said.The remarks come amid intensifying tensions between Washington and Tehran after nearly a month of military confrontation and diplomatic pressure. Trump argued that Iran should have agreed to negotiations earlier. “They should have done that four weeks ago. They should have done it two years ago. Or they should have done it when we first came into office,” he said.Iran, however, has pushed back against Washington’s narrative. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that a US proposal aimed at ending the war was “one-sided and unfair,” saying it demanded Tehran give up key defensive capabilities in exchange for unclear commitments on lifting sanctions.Despite rejecting the terms, the official indicated that diplomacy had not been ruled out, saying negotiations could still happen if the US adopts a more balanced approach. Mediators including Pakistan and Turkey are attempting to bridge differences between the two sides.The war has escalated since February 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel launched military strikes on Iranian targets, part of a broader campaign aimed at curbing Iran’s missile programme and nuclear ambitions.Trump has repeatedly claimed that the military campaign has severely weakened Iran, saying the country has been “militarily obliterated,” and suggesting Tehran now has little choice but to consider negotiations.At the same time, both sides continue to harden their positions publicly. Iran insists it has not entered formal talks with Washington and says any agreement must respect its security interests and sovereignty.