WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump claimed that the Iranian leaders have been effectively “destroyed” and that the country is now on the verge of a “regime change.
In a media interaction, Trump expressed confidence that Iran was now willing to negotiate, stating that the new leadership is ready to engage in a significant agreement.
Trump said that Iran now exists as our country’s greatest accomplishment. “Their Navy and Air Force have been decimated, and we’ve ended their leadership. This is regime change. We are now talking to the right people, those who actually want to make a deal.”
Trump said that Iran had made a nuclear weapons prohibition agreement with the United States which resulted in a “sensible” negotiation process. He also mentioned that Iran had given the US a “gift” related to oil and gas, which he suggested was a significant gesture in the ongoing talks.
“The new leadership in Iran is different. We will see how they perform,” Trump said. “They’re ready to make a deal.”
Trump acknowledged Saudi Arabia the UAE and Qatar for their assistance in managing the Iran situation which he described as “very helpful” to current diplomatic efforts. The present geopolitical crisis has become more complicated because Trump’s statements create doubt about future US-Iran relations and the countries which will dominate the region.
Trump ‘postpones’ military strikes against Iranian power plants for five days
Earlier, US President Donald Trump has ordered a 5-day postponement of proposed military strikes on Iran’s power plants and energy infrastructure.
President Trump said in a statement released on the social media platform ‘Truth Social’ that there have been “very positive and constructive” talks between the US and Iran over the past two days.
Earlier, President Trump had given Iran a 48-hour ultimatum to fully open the Strait of Hormuz, which was due to expire today. However, after the new development, this military action has now been stopped.
The president has made it clear that this suspension of attacks is conditional on the success of the ongoing negotiations. If the talks held this week fail, the US can again use the option of military action.
The conflict, which has been ongoing since late February 2026, has had a severe impact on the global economy and oil prices. Iran has threatened to destroy energy centers and desalination plants across the region if its power plants are targeted.
Iran’s foreign ministry has issued a statement, saying: “We deny what US President Donald Trump said regarding negotiations taking place between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
Quoted by CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, the foreign ministry adds: “The Islamic Republic of Iran adheres to its position rejecting any type of negotiations before achieving Iran’s goals from the war.”
