US President Donald Trump said Washington was engaged in “good” and “friendly” negotiations with Iran, raising the prospect of a peace deal days after the United States abruptly halted a two-week military campaign against the country.
Speaking on Monday, Trump said there was “a good chance” diplomacy could produce results but warned Washington was prepared to resume military action if negotiations failed.
“We’re having good talks,” Trump said. “I think there’s a good chance that something could happen, and if it does, good; if it doesn’t, we go back to doing what we were doing two days ago.”
Later, at a campaign rally in Michigan, Trump struck a more combative tone, saying Iran could not be “bribed” and that the United States would “beat the hell out of them” if necessary, while insisting “very friendly negotiations” were under way.
The remarks marked Washington’s clearest indication yet that it is pursuing diplomacy after suspending its strikes over the weekend.
Trump defended the US military campaign, saying Washington was “winning big time” against Iran.
He claimed the United States had destroyed Iran’s navy, air force, leadership and air defence systems, and said the military pressure had brought Tehran to the negotiating table.
Trump also reiterated that Washington’s objective was to ensure Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon.
Iran warns against threats to shipping
Iran responded by warning the United States against targeting its commercial shipping and oil tankers, saying any such move would widen the conflict.
Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Iran’s military command, accused Washington of threatening Iranian commercial vessels and oil tankers operating in the country’s coastal and territorial waters over the past three days.
The command said the US naval blockade amounted to an expansion of the war and warned Iran’s armed forces would leave no threat “unanswered”.
It said any action by what it described as the US “terrorist army” would be met with a response.
Regional tensions remain high
The diplomatic signals came as fighting and security incidents continued across the region.
Saudi Aramco reportedly suspended operations at the Abqaiq oil processing and stabilisation facility after a Houthi drone attack on Monday, raising fresh concerns over energy infrastructure.
Pakistan condemned the drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, calling them a grave threat to regional peace and reaffirming its support for the kingdom’s sovereignty.
Meanwhile, explosions were reported in Iraq’s Erbil, while Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB said a US drone had been shot down over Iraq’s western Anbar province, citing Iraqi media. It broadcast images it said showed the wreckage of the aircraft inside a residential complex.
Netanyahu heads to Washington
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed for Washington on Monday for talks with Trump, saying discussions would focus on the next phase of the conflict with Iran.
The meeting will be the eighth between the two leaders since they assumed office.
Poll shows weak US public support
A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted from Friday to Sunday showed public backing for the conflict remained weak.
Only one in three Americans supported the war with Iran, while 69 percent said Trump had failed to clearly explain the goals of US military involvement.
The survey also found Trump’s approval rating rose three percentage points to 37 percent from the previous month, even as support for the conflict remained below 40 percent.
Iran casualties reach 60
Iran’s health minister said recent US attacks had killed 60 people and injured around 670 others in southern Iran over the past 10 to 12 days, according to Iranian media reports.
