Trump expects talks with Iran to resume in coming week

US President Donald Trump anticipates resuming negotiations with Iran within the upcoming week, according to a recent Axios interview. This comes after Iran rejected a truce proposal presented by Tehran, citing their deteriorating situation as the reason for seeking a deal. Trump stated that Iran desires a deal, but it is not the one he would have agreed to a year ago.

The president also mentioned that Iran had proposed reopening the Strait of Hormuz, but dismissed the offer, asserting that Iranian leaders desired the deal due to their dire circumstances. Trump expressed that Iran overplayed their hand in the conflict. Indirect talks between the US and Iran may commence as early as Monday, facilitated by Qatari mediators, following previous discussions between US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi at the UN General Assembly in New York.

Trump highlighted that the largest volume of oil since the war commenced had passed through the strait, with over 20 million barrels transiting over the weekend. The strait, which once facilitated one-fifth of the world's oil and gas trade before the war, has become a focal point of the ongoing conflict. Since late February, Iran has asserted control over the strait, while the US has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports.

Trump indicated that he is continually contemplating the possibility of resuming strikes against Iran, particularly after the November 3 midterm elections, as he grapples with mounting public opposition to the war in the Middle East, which has led to soaring fuel prices.