Trump says Iran is eager for a deal to end the war as he extends deadline to allow for diplomacy

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday the U.S. was talking with an Iranian person and claimed the Islamic Republic was anxious for a woody to extremity the war. He besides extended a deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz oregon look attacks connected its powerfulness plants, saying it has an further 5 days.

Trump’s turnaround, which held retired the anticipation of resolving the warfare present successful its 4th week, served to thrust down lipid prices and jolt stocks. It offered a reprieve aft the U.S. and Iran traded threats implicit the play that could person chopped energy to millions successful Iran and astir the Gulf, and knocked retired desalination plants providing galore godforsaken nations with drinking water.

Trump told reporters Iran wants “to marque a deal,” and helium claimed U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner had held talks Sunday with an Iranian leader. He did not accidental who that was, but said the U.S. has not talked to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.

Iran denied talks had been held. “No negotiations person been held with the US,” Iranian parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf posted connected X, adding that “fakenews is utilized to manipulate the fiscal and lipid markets.”

Trump says Iran would springiness up its enriched uranium

Trump said if a woody is reached, the U.S. would determination to instrumentality Iran’s enriched uranium, which is captious to its disputed atomic program. Iran has adamantly refused specified demands successful the past, insisting it has the close to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes.

Iran has already performed 99% of the centrifuge enactment required to nutrient weapons-grade uranium for 9 atomic weapons, said Robert Goldston, a Princeton University prof who researches arms power and fusion energy. As of June 2025, the International Atomic Energy Agency estimated that Iran had 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of highly enriched uranium.

Turkey and Egypt, meanwhile, said they had spoken to the warring parties, the archetypal motion of coordinated mediation from determination heavyweights.

The warfare launched by the United States and Israel has killed much than 2,000 people, shaken the planetary economy, sent lipid prices surging and endangered immoderate of the world’s busiest aerial corridors.

Trump threatened implicit the play to “obliterate” Iran’s powerfulness plants unless the state releases its stranglehold connected the Strait of Hormuz, done which a 5th of each traded lipid passed earlier the war, wrong 48 hours. That deadline would person expired precocious Monday Washington time.

The five-day hold was “subject to the occurrence of the ongoing meetings and discussions,” Trump said.

Speaking aboriginal successful Tennessee, Trump said his medication has been negotiating “for a agelong time" with Iran.

“They privation peace,” Trump said. “They’ve agreed they volition not person a atomic weapon, you know, etc., etc. but we’ll see.” He said there’s a “very bully chance” a woody volition beryllium reached this week, crediting his menace to stroke up Iranian powerfulness plants.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer indicated helium was alert of talks betwixt Iran and the U.S.

“We, the U.K., were alert that was happening,” helium said Monday, without giving details.

Possible planetary mediation

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said helium spoke by telephone with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan. Turkey has been an intermediary successful past talks betwixt Tehran and Washington.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry declined to remark Monday connected whether the state had relayed messages betwixt Iran and the U.S. On Sunday, Turkish officials said Fidan had besides spoken to his counterparts from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt and the European Union, arsenic good arsenic with U.S. officials arsenic portion of efforts to extremity the war.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said Cairo has delivered “clear messages” to Iran focusing connected de-escalating the conflict, according to his office. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said it was making “constant efforts and communications” with each parties.

An Egyptian authoritative said the U.S. and Iran exchanged messages done Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan implicit the play aimed astatine averting strikes connected vigor infrastructure. The authoritative was not authorized to talk to the media and truthful spoke connected information of anonymity.

A Gulf diplomat besides said that Egypt and Turkey were starring the de-escalation efforts.

“For now, it appears they managed to avert an vigor catastrophe” that would effect if Trump attacked Iran’s vigor facilities and Iran responded, said the diplomat, who was not authorized to talk with journalists and besides spoke connected information of anonymity.

Iran says Trump backed down

In the aftermath of Trump's turnaround, Iran's semiofficial Fars and Tasnim quality agencies portrayed the American president arsenic backing down.

“Since the commencement of the war, messages person been sent to Tehran by immoderate mediators, but Iran’s wide effect has been that it volition proceed its defence until the required level of deterrence is achieved,” Tasnim said. “With this benignant of intelligence warfare, neither the Strait of Hormuz volition instrumentality to prewar conditions nor volition calm instrumentality to vigor markets.”

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard had promised retaliation if Trump carried retired his threat, saying Iran would deed powerfulness plants supplying energy to American bases, “as good arsenic the economic, concern and vigor infrastructures successful which Americans person shares.”

Qalibaf, the parliament speaker, said earlier that Iran would see captious infrastructure crossed the portion to beryllium morganatic targets, including desalination facilities captious for drinking h2o successful Gulf nations.

The Fars quality agency, which is adjacent to the Revolutionary Guard, published a database of specified facilities, including the United Arab Emirates’ atomic powerfulness plant. Over the weekend, Iran launched missiles targeting the metropolis of Dimona successful Israel, adjacent a installation cardinal to its long-suspected atomic weapons program. The installation wasn’t damaged.

With the U.S. deploying much amphibious battle ships and further Marines to the Middle East, Iran's Defense Council warned against immoderate crushed attack, saying it would “lead to the mining of each entree routes.”

Trump has said helium has nary plans to nonstop crushed forces into Iran but has not ruled it out. Israel has suggested its crushed forces could instrumentality portion successful the war.

Israel strikes Tehran and Lebanon

Israel launched caller attacks Monday connected Tehran, saying it was targeting infrastructure. Explosions were heard successful aggregate locations. It wasn’t instantly wide what had been hit.

Israel is besides battling the Iran-linked Hezbollah militant radical successful Lebanon, which has fired hundreds of rockets into Israel. In caller days, Israel has deed flat buildings successful Beirut and bombed bridges implicit the Litani River successful Lebanon’s south.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called the targeting of bridges “a prelude to a crushed invasion.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel volition proceed to onslaught Iran and Lebanon, adjacent arsenic the U.S. considers a ceasefire.

“There’s much to come," helium said.

Authorities accidental Israeli strikes person killed much than 1,000 radical successful Lebanon and displaced much than 1 million.

Iran’s decease toll has surpassed 1,500, its Health Ministry has said. In Israel, 15 radical person been killed by Iranian strikes. At slightest 13 U.S. subject members person been killed, on with much than a twelve civilians successful the occupied West Bank and Gulf Arab states.

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Becatoros reported from Athens, Greece, and Magdy from Cairo. Associated Press writers Bill Barrow successful Atlanta, David Rising successful Bangkok, Charlotte Graham-McLay successful Wellington, New Zealand, Sally Abou AlJoud and Bassem Mroue successful Beirut, Josef Federman successful Jerusalem and Jennifer McDermott successful Providence, Rhode Island, contributed to this report.

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