Iran agrees to negotiate with the US while Trump maintains military threat

1. Iranian warnings and military stance
2. Diplomatic contacts and mediation options
3. Conditions for resuming negotiations

Disagreements between the United States and Iran have continued in recent days, despite gestures of diplomatic appeasement, but with the possibility of military intervention by Washington still on the table. 

In this regard, US President Donald Trump commented that ‘hopefully’ a consensus would be reached between Washington and Tehran. These statements came just hours after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Iranian leader, said that US intervention would lead to a large-scale regional conflict. 

However, Donald Trump, speaking from the presidential plane, Air Force One, downplayed Khamenei's statements, emphasising that the United States is much stronger militarily in the region. ‘We have our ships, the largest and most powerful in the world, very close by, a couple of days away,’ he said. He added that he hopes ‘Iran will negotiate something acceptable.’ 

Iranian warnings and military stance

The leader did not specify his final decision on Iran, but said that the two sides ‘are talking seriously.’ The statements are not consistent with the tone used by the Iranian supreme leader. In messages conveyed by the state, Leader Khamenei stated that any conflict initiated by the United States will not remain restricted and will, on the contrary, affect the entire region. 

‘We do not seek war, but if they attack Iran, they will be dealt a heavy blow,’ he warned in a clear statement backed by senior military commanders. General Amir Hatami, who commands the Iranian regular army, indicated that the armed forces are ready for any situation. He also mentioned that they are keeping a close eye on the movements of the Americans in the area. 

‘We have our fingers on the trigger,’ he said, in a clear reference to both the United States and Israel. Despite the threats that have been exchanged, at the same time, indirect diplomatic contacts have increased. 

Diplomatic contacts and mediation options

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said he had instructed his foreign minister to establish fair and equitable negotiations with the United States, provided the environment is free of threats. Iran is evaluating mediation proposals from nations such as Turkey, Qatar, Oman and Egypt. There are reports of a possible meeting soon in Istanbul between Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy, and Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Foreign Minister. 

The announcement represents a significant political step by Tehran. According to Reuters, Pezeshkian gave the formal green light to the opening of talks with the United States, stressing that Iran does not rule out dialogue as long as it takes place in an atmosphere ‘free of threats and unreasonable expectations’. The decision comes at a time of maximum external pressure and confirms that the negotiating track has the direct backing of the Iranian president. 

According to The New York Times, as part of these indirect exchanges, Iran has reportedly conveyed its willingness to suspend or shut down its nuclear programme in order to de-escalate tensions with Washington. The contacts, channelled through regional intermediaries, seek to avoid armed conflict after the United States threatened to use force. The newspaper also noted that Ali Larijani, secretary of the Iranian National Security Council, conveyed to Vladimir Putin the possibility of resending enriched uranium to Russia, as contemplated in the 2015 agreement, an option that the Kremlin has long considered on the table. 

These signs of de-escalation come after several weeks of high tension. US warships and aircraft have been spotted in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf. Added to this are Trump's threats, made after the violent crackdown on internal protests in Iran. This is in addition to two recent explosions in Bandar Abbas and Ahvaz. Each caused several fatalities and increased general unrest. Iranian authorities maintain that these were not attacks directed at military leaders. 

Conditions for resuming negotiations

So far, Iran has viewed these points as strict and as its red lines, which shows us how difficult a solution is. The Iranian economy is under pressure due to sanctions and recent mass protests, making the option of negotiation increasingly attractive in Tehran. Despite this, its public discourse still maintains a defiant tone. 

The relationship between the United States and Iran remains uncertain. Both sides face the possibility of regional conflict, while calls for a joint solution also persist. The discrepancies between the United States and Iran have not ceased in recent days, despite gestures of diplomatic appeasement, but with the possibility of a military incursion by Washington still on the table. 

Military deployment and recent events

However, both Brussels, which has formally added the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to its list of terrorist organisations, and Washington have asked Tehran for guarantees that Iran will not develop nuclear weapons, to which Tehran continues to maintain that its programme is for civilian purposes only. 

At the same time, Trump toughened his message by warning that the United States will resort to the use of force if Tehran ignores its demands, while announcing the deployment of an ‘armada’ to the region. ‘We have ships heading to Iran right now, big ships... and we are in talks with Iran. We'll see how it turns out,’ he told the press, reinforcing military pressure while keeping the diplomatic channel open. 

According to international media sources, the United States has set clear conditions for resuming negotiations. These include Iran halting uranium enrichment, placing limits on its missile programme and reducing support for allied armed groups in the region.