Trump Signals Progress in Iran Talks

United States President Donald Trump has indicated that negotiations with Iran are making progress, raising hopes of an agreement to prevent a return to war, as Tehran confirmed that intensive diplomatic exchanges were ongoing. 

Trump said a deal with Iran was possible, adding that Tehran wanted to reach an agreement quickly. He made the comments on his Truth Social platform on Monday, a day before crucial US midterm elections.

Vice President JD Vance also expressed optimism about the negotiations, telling reporters that both he and Trump believed an agreement could be reached.

He acknowledged that some progress had been made, although further developments would determine whether the talks could produce a deal.

“We’ve certainly made some progress. We’ll see if we can make some more,” Vance told reporters on Monday.

The diplomatic signals sent oil prices down by more than seven per cent on Monday. Prices had surged following Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a major route for global energy shipments.

Trump also highlighted the fall in oil prices in his social media post.

The renewed efforts to reach an agreement come ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections, in which Trump’s Republican Party is seeking to retain control of Congress.

Voter dissatisfaction over the war and rising fuel costs has become a concern for the party, while Democrats are hoping to regain at least partial control of Congress and place new political limits on Trump’s administration.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed on Monday that indirect negotiations with Washington were continuing through mediators. He described the consultations as intensive, citing the seriousness of the situation.

Araghchi identified Qatar and Pakistan as key intermediaries in the discussions.

“Given the sensitivity and gravity of the current situation, consultations and deliberations are very intensive,” Araghchi said in a video interview with the official IRNA news agency.

“Qatar and Pakistan are playing a very active mediating role in these negotiations.”

China has also called for a diplomatic resolution, while Iran’s security chief held discussions on the conflict with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Axios news outlet earlier reported that Vance had sent a letter to Iran’s national security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, outlining the possibility of renewed negotiations. The reported communication would represent the highest-level diplomatic contact between the two sides in months.

Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref interpreted the messages from Washington as an acknowledgement of Tehran’s victory.

Trump, however, has continued to issue threats, telling a campaign rally that the United States might eventually have to take stronger military action against Iran.

A senior Iranian official also indicated that Tehran could reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days if Washington accepted its demands.

Iran had proposed a seven-day plan in September to restore shipping through the waterway. Its conditions included ending the conflict on all fronts, releasing frozen Iranian assets, lifting oil sanctions and stopping the US counter-blockade of Iranian ports.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei described the possibility of implementing the proposal within two days as further evidence of Iran’s willingness to reach an agreement.

“The possibility of implementing this plan in two days is another indication of Iran’s good-faith approach,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told reporters at a briefing.

Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed the conflict with Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq in Beijing on Monday. The visit marked the first time Oman’s head of state had travelled to China since the two countries established diplomatic relations.

A statement from Oman said both leaders supported resolving disputes through diplomacy and urged Washington and Tehran to pursue peace, secure a ceasefire and prevent a wider war.

“The two sides called for resolving disputes through political and diplomatic means, urging the United States and Iran to pursue a peaceful path, achieve a ceasefire (and) prevent war entirely,” an Omani statement said.

China also held separate meetings with Iranian and Saudi officials in Beijing. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Ali Bagheri, deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, that Beijing supported Tehran’s efforts to protect its sovereignty and security.

Bagheri maintained that Iran would not compromise on its national security, sovereignty or territorial integrity, according to Iranian state television.

In an interview with Al Jazeera released on Sunday, Araghchi said the United States must accept a new arrangement agreed by Iran and Oman for vessels using the Strait of Hormuz. He also called for Washington to lift recently imposed sanctions and reduce its military presence in the region.

Despite the diplomatic exchanges, tensions remain high. Trump said on Saturday that he still needed to deal with one or two targets, including Pickaxe Mountain in central Iran, which is suspected of housing a nuclear facility. Tehran has denied that the site is a nuclear installation.

Baqaei warned that any attack on Iran would trigger an immediate and extensive response.