US President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran is urgently seeking a peace deal with Washington, even as tensions in the Middle East continue with no clear breakthrough in sight. Speaking in an interview with Fortune, Trump said Tehran repeatedly expressed interest in signing an agreement but accused Iranian leaders of changing their position during negotiations.
โTheyโre dying to sign a deal,โ Trump said, while alleging that Iran continued to place fresh conditions on the table after talks moved forward. His remarks come at a time when diplomatic efforts to end the long-running conflict remain stalled.
The situation in the region has remained tense despite a fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran that has been in place since April. Over the weekend, a drone strike triggered a fire at a nuclear facility in the United Arab Emirates, while Saudi Arabia said it intercepted three drones.
The incidents have added to fears that the conflict could escalate again, with both sides still far from reaching a permanent settlement.
Trump warns Iran โtime is running outโ
Trump also issued a fresh warning to Tehran through a post on Truth Social, saying Iran needed to act quickly if it wanted to avoid severe consequences. โFor Iran, the clock is ticking,โ Trump wrote, warning that failed negotiations could lead to devastating outcomes. The strong remarks came shortly after Trump held discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where the Iran conflict reportedly emerged as a major topic.
Iran accuses US of refusing concessions
Iranian media, however, painted a very different picture of the negotiations. Reports from Tehran claimed the United States had refused to offer meaningful concessions during the latest round of talks.
According to Iranian outlets, Washington proposed strict limits on Iranโs nuclear programme, including restricting the country to a single operational nuclear facility and transferring enriched uranium stockpiles to the US. Iranian reports also claimed that the US had refused to release frozen Iranian assets or discuss compensation linked to damage caused during the conflict.
The ongoing conflict has also started affecting the global economy. Rising tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil shipments have triggered energy concerns and renewed inflation pressures in several countries.
Trump acknowledged that the US Federal Reserve may delay future interest rate cuts as energy prices continue to rise due to instability in the region.
Pakistan continues mediation efforts
Meanwhile, Pakistan has continued efforts to bring both sides back to the negotiating table. Reports in Iranian media said Pakistanโs Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi recently visited Tehran as part of mediation attempts.
Pakistanโs Army Chief Asim Munir has also reportedly been involved in diplomatic outreach linked to the crisis.
Also Read:ย ‘Clock is ticking’: Trump warns Iran to accept US peace deal or ‘there won’t be anything left’
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