Washington: Donald Trump has said he is not ready to strike a deal with Iran to end the ongoing conflict in West Asia, despite signals that Tehran is willing to negotiate.
In an interview with NBC News, the US president said any agreement to halt hostilities would require significantly stronger terms than what is currently on the table.
“Iran wants to make a deal, and I don’t want to make it because the terms aren’t good enough yet,” Trump said in the interview. He added that any ceasefire arrangement would have to be “very solid” before the United States would consider accepting it.
The remarks come at a time when the conflict involving United States, Israel and Iran has intensified, causing widespread casualties and major disruptions to global energy supplies.
Trump insists on tougher conditions for a deal
During the interview, Trump declined to disclose the specific conditions that would need to be met for the United States to accept a peace deal with Iran.
However, he indicated that a key requirement would be a binding commitment from Tehran to permanently abandon any ambitions to develop nuclear weapons.
The issue of Iran’s nuclear programme has been a central point of tension between the two countries for years. Washington and its allies have repeatedly accused Tehran of attempting to develop nuclear weapons, while Iran has maintained that its nuclear activities are meant for peaceful purposes such as energy production.
Trump’s latest remarks suggest that Washington intends to maintain strong pressure on Iran until it agrees to stricter terms regarding its nuclear capabilities.
Reports of rejected peace efforts
The president’s comments came shortly after a report by the international news agency Reuters indicated that the Trump administration had turned down diplomatic efforts aimed at opening negotiations with Iran.
According to the report, several Middle Eastern allies attempted to initiate talks that could potentially lead to a ceasefire between the warring sides.
However, the sources cited in the report said the US administration was not prepared to begin negotiations under the current circumstances.
These developments have raised questions among analysts about whether Washington is deliberately prolonging the conflict to secure stronger concessions from Tehran.
US campaign against Iran continues
Trump has offered varying estimates regarding the duration of the conflict.
Earlier, he suggested that the American military campaign against Iran could continue for four to five weeks. More recently, however, he claimed that US forces were already “way ahead of schedule”.
The president also stated that there was “practically nothing left to target” in Iran after a series of strikes carried out by American and allied forces.
Despite this claim, the United States recently launched a major attack on Kharg Island, a critical hub that handles nearly 90 per cent of Iran’s oil exports.
The strike caused significant damage to the facility and further escalated tensions between the two sides.
Trump hints at further strikes
In the interview, Trump suggested that the United States might conduct additional strikes on Kharg Island if necessary.
He even remarked that the US could hit the location “a few more times just for fun”, despite describing the island as already “totally demolished” in the latest attack.
The comment has drawn criticism from observers who argue that such statements could further inflame the situation in the region.
Military analysts believe that repeated attacks on Iran’s key oil infrastructure could severely weaken the country’s economy while also affecting global energy markets.
Conflict disrupts global oil supplies
The war between Iran and the joint front of the United States and Israel has already caused large-scale disruptions to global oil transportation.
Much of the world’s crude oil shipments pass through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
The ongoing conflict has led to the suspension or delay of maritime traffic in the region, creating one of the largest disruptions to global oil supply in recent years.
Energy markets across the world have been closely monitoring developments, as any prolonged closure or instability in the Strait of Hormuz could drive up oil prices significantly.
For countries like India, which depend heavily on imported crude oil, such disruptions could have ripple effects on fuel prices, transportation costs and inflation.
Heavy casualties reported
According to reports emerging from the conflict zone, more than 2,000 people have been killed since hostilities intensified.
Most of the casualties are believed to be in Iran, where several cities and strategic facilities have been targeted in air strikes.
The scale of destruction and loss of life has prompted international calls for restraint and diplomatic engagement to prevent the conflict from escalating further.
Uncertain path ahead
Despite increasing global pressure for negotiations, Trump’s latest remarks indicate that the United States is not yet prepared to compromise on its demands.
With the conflict continuing to affect energy markets and regional stability, the possibility of a negotiated settlement remains uncertain.
For now, Washington appears determined to maintain its military and economic pressure on Tehran until it agrees to stricter conditions — particularly on its nuclear programme.
Whether this strategy will eventually lead to a diplomatic breakthrough or prolong the confrontation remains an open question.