President Donald Trump said overnight that Iran is talking to the United States and wants to reach an agreement, but he does not believe the time is right for a deal. The remarks came as the US refrained from striking Iran on Shabbat for the first time in 13 days, according to Israeli media reports. Meanwhile, voices within Iran opposing renewed negotiations with the US are growing.
President Donald Trump confirmed Saturday evening that Iran is engaged in talks with the United States, speaking at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. The confirmation came as the U.S. military refrained from airstrikes on Iran overnight Friday, breaking a streak of 13 consecutive nights of strikes, according to Israeli media reports. Trump said, "The Iranians are talking to us. They would like to reach an agreement. I don't think the time is right for that, but I'm listening."
American media first reported at 13:15 Jerusalem Saturday that CENTCOM had conducted no strikes overnight, possibly due to the WHCA dinner. Israeli media later confirmed the break in the 13-night streak, and The Zioneer reported earlier this evening (20:25 Jerusalem) that the pause occurred during Shabbat. Trump had earlier discussed a potential escalation of strikes with advisors while maintaining that negotiations were ongoing, according to the prior report.
As The Zioneer has reported over the past weeks, Trump's statements on Iran negotiations have shifted repeatedly. On June 9, he said the U.S. expected clarity within 48 hours and that Iran would halt fire on Israel for at least a week. By June 11, he claimed Iran had asked to stop the bombing, a claim Iranian state media denied. On July 13, reports indicated Trump believed Iran was stalling talks. The current confirmation of ongoing talks, though without a deal, adds a new layer to the evolving picture.
It remains unclear whether the pause in airstrikes is temporary or signals a strategic shift. Trump's statement that the time is not right for an agreement suggests no immediate breakthrough. Meanwhile, voices within Iran opposing renewed negotiations with the U.S. are reportedly growing, according to the same reports. No further details on the content or venue of the talks have been disclosed.
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Source and signal
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