According to report by Vanguard News on Monday, March 16, 2026, United States President Donald Trump has revealed that Washington is engaged in discussions with Iran as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East enters its third week.
However, he suggested that Tehran has not yet reached the point where it is ready to agree to a deal that could bring the fighting to an end.
Speaking to journalists aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump confirmed that communication channels exist between the two countries, although he declined to provide details about the nature or level of the engagement.
According to him, while conversations are taking place, Iran has not shown sufficient readiness to finalize an agreement to stop the war.
Trump added that Iran appears to be gradually moving closer to a potential deal but stressed that the process is not yet at a stage where a resolution can be reached.
Earlier, Iranian officials rejected claims that diplomatic talks with the United States were underway.
Trump also expressed uncertainty about pursuing a peace agreement at the moment, noting that the situation within Iran’s leadership structure has become unclear following recent attacks.
During the first day of joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28, several senior Iranian figures were reportedly killed, including Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, along with dozens of other officials.
Trump said the loss of key leaders has made it difficult to determine exactly who the United States would negotiate with.
Despite this uncertainty, the American president maintained that Iran strongly desires an agreement.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, dismissed Trump’s statements and insisted that Tehran is not interested in negotiating with Washington.
In an interview with CBS’s Face The Nation, Araghchi said Iran believes it is capable of defending its citizens and sees no reason to resume talks with the United States.
He argued that previous diplomatic engagements with Washington did not produce positive results, especially as the U.S. launched attacks while negotiations were ongoing.
Araghchi therefore maintained that Iran has little confidence in future dialogue with the United States. Read In Details