23. March 2026

Trump Again Claims 'Serious' Peace Talks With Iran — Even as Tehran Insists No Negotiations are Underway

WASHINGTON-- President Donald Trump said Monday that his administration has been negotiating with Iran “for a long time” and suggested a breakthrough could be imminent, though he did not specify who is conducting the talks on Tehran’s behalf.

Speaking in Tennessee, Trump said he believes Iran is ready to reach an agreement and signaled optimism about the prospects for de-escalation.

“They want peace,” Trump said. “They’ve agreed they will not have a nuclear weapon, you know, et cetera, et cetera, but we’ll see.”

Trump added that there is a “very good chance” a deal could be reached as soon as this week, crediting his recent threat to target Iranian power plants as a key factor in pushing negotiations forward.

The president said he has ordered a five-day pause on potential U.S. strikes to allow time for diplomacy to unfold. “Then we’re going to see where that takes us,” he said.

Iranian officials, however, have publicly denied that any negotiations are taking place. A spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry reiterated that position Monday, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.

“Iran’s position on the Strait of Hormuz and the prerequisites for ending the war remains exactly as before,” the spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, said.