Trump Says U.S. Seeks Deal with Iran, Rejects Nuclear Weapons for Tehran

Former U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the United States remains engaged in negotiations with Iran and expressed hope for a final agreement, underscoring his preference for diplomacy over military escalation.

Speaking to supporters near Las Vegas, Nevada, Trump said: “I prefer to reach a deal because I don’t want to kill people… We’re talking with the Iranians and having dialogue, and they respect us.” He added: “Let’s see what happens.”

Trump claimed Iran initiated the current round of talks, saying: “We were preparing to launch the biggest attack since World War II, but the Iranians asked me to hold the talks.”

He reaffirmed his position that Iran must not possess nuclear weapons.

Iran denies direct U.S. negotiations

Trump’s remarks followed his announcement the previous day about “ongoing” negotiations with Tehran that could lead to a “near-term” agreement on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and dismantling Iran’s nuclear program. Iran responded by stating it is conducting no direct negotiations with the United States. Instead, Iranian officials confirmed that all talks related to establishing a safe maritime passage through the strait are exclusively with the Sultanate of Oman.

Iranian authorities reported receiving “messages from the United States indicating readiness to return to its commitments” under a memorandum of understanding signed between the two sides in June. No further details were provided regarding the nature of those commitments.

Iranian agency distinguishes technical from political talks

The Iranian National Security Council’s affiliated news agency, Nour News, asserted that recent American and Western statements about the imminent reopening of the Strait of Hormuz overlook a critical distinction: the ongoing technical consultations between Iran and Oman on maritime traffic management differ fundamentally from broader political and security issues—which Tehran identifies as the root cause of the strait’s current crisis.

In a report, Nour News explained that certain White House officials and Western media outlets are misrepresenting the Iran-Oman technical discussions as a direct step toward reopening the strait. In reality, the talks are confined to operational matters—including ship transit mechanisms, navigation safety, and regulation of maritime traffic flow.