WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump stated in a phone interview with C-SPAN on Monday that Tehran is keen to reach a negotiated agreement with Washington, though he issued a stern warning that any future U.S. military strike could be approximately five times larger than previous operations.
Weighing in on diplomatic maneuvers, Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei accused Washington on Monday of propagating false narratives regarding potential negotiations. In a post on X, Rezaei demanded that the United States formally accept Tehran’s seven core preconditions before any dialogue proceeds.
Meanwhile, following discussions with the Prime Minister of Qatar, President Trump told Reuters that regional allies Qatar and Saudi Arabia prefer a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict with Iran. However, Trump reiterated that the United States remains fully prepared to execute military strikes if deemed necessary.
Addressing reports of backchannel diplomacy, Tasnim News—an outlet affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)—cited a senior security official in Tehran to deny claims made by the Turkish intelligence chief regarding an anticipated meeting between Mohsen Rezaei and U.S. Vice President JD Vance in Doha. The official reiterated that Washington must act on Iran’s seven demands first.
Reaffirming hardline positions, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson doubled down on Monday on Tehran’s standing demands, insisting that Washington must lift comprehensive economic sanctions, terminate its naval blockade, and halt all economic pressure prior to the commencement of formal negotiations.
On the domestic front, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced on Monday that the supreme leader has ordered state officials to decisively dismantle the country’s prolonged “no war, no peace” deadlock, asserting that Iran remains capable of securing a mutually beneficial agreement through dignified dialogue.
Providing updates on international oversight, the foreign ministry spokesperson confirmed on Monday that International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors visited Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant days prior, noting that Tehran’s diplomatic mission in Vienna maintains regular, professional communication with the UN nuclear watchdog.
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