United States President Donald Trump announced that the US is in negotiations with Iran to end the ongoing war, even as the Pentagon reportedly prepares to deploy thousands of additional troops to the Middle East.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump stated that senior members of his cabinet are actively involved in talks with Iranian officials. He noted that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice-President JD Vance are among those participating in the diplomatic efforts.
According to the president, the Iranian officials involved in these discussions have agreed to never obtain a nuclear weapon. He added that the opposing side is eager to make a deal to resolve the conflict.
During his address to reporters, Trump revealed that Iran had sent the United States a “very big present” that arrived on the day of his remarks. While he declined to specify what the gift was, he described it as a “very significant prize” worth a tremendous amount of money.
Trump indicated that the present was related to oil and gas, specifically mentioning the Strait of Hormuz. This critical maritime choke point is at the center of the current conflict and facilitates the passage of approximately 20 percent of the world’s oil supply.
The president stated that the receipt of this present aided diplomatic efforts to end hostilities and demonstrated that his administration is dealing with the right people. Following these developments, he backed away from previous threats to bomb Iranian power plants, characterizing his discussions with Iran as productive.
Despite the president’s claims, conflicting signals are emerging from Tehran regarding the existence of these talks. Iranian officials maintain that no negotiations have taken place between the two nations.
Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament who is reportedly acting as an interlocutor, explicitly dismissed the reports of direct negotiations as “fake news.”
Meanwhile, officials speaking to multiple US news outlets have stated that the United States has shared a 15-point plan aimed at ending the war. The proposal was reportedly shared with both Israel and Iran, demonstrating the administration’s intent to wind down a conflict that is causing ongoing economic fallout.
The US proposal was reportedly delivered by Pakistan. Earlier, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered to host talks between Washington and Tehran to help end the conflict.
Currently, it remains unclear which Iranian officials have reviewed the 15-point plan or how it has been received. It is also unknown whether Israel is on board with the proposed agreement.