US-Iran War: Negotiations, Conflicting Statements, and Global Economic Impact

President Trump and Iranian officials presented conflicting accounts on Monday regarding potential negotiations to complete the ongoing war. While Trump suggested a possible deal and extended a deadline for potential strikes on Iranian power plants, Iran denied any direct talks with U.S. Officials, attributing Trump’s statements to attempts to stabilize oil markets and deflect from escalating conflict.

Trump Announces Potential for Deal, Extends Deadline

“We are in the throes of a real possibility of making a deal,” President Trump told reporters on Monday. He expressed optimism, stating that if he were a betting man, he would wager on a resolution, though he refrained from guaranteeing any outcome. CBS News reported that this followed a social media post announcing the postponement of planned strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days, citing “very good and productive conversations” toward a “complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East.”

Prior to this announcement, Trump had warned that the U.S. Would “obliterate” Iran’s power plants if the Strait of Hormuz wasn’t reopened within 48 hours. The announcement led to a drop in oil prices, a shift Trump acknowledged, stating, “The price of oil will drop like a rock as soon as a deal is done. I guess it already is today.”

Iran Denies Negotiations, Accuses US of Manipulation

Iranian officials countered Trump’s claims, suggesting he was fabricating negotiations to manipulate financial and oil markets and to create a narrative that would justify potential military actions. Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Iran’s parliament speaker, stated on X (formerly Twitter), “No negotiations have been held with the U.S., and fake news is used to manipulate the financial and oil markets and escape the quagmire in which the US and Israel are trapped.”

The Iranian Foreign Ministry echoed this sentiment, acknowledging regional initiatives to reduce tensions but denying direct negotiations with the Trump administration. They characterized Trump’s message as an attempt to reassure markets and “buy time” for military operations. Some Iranian news outlets, like Tasnim News, framed Trump’s announcement as a retreat, with the headline “Trump backs down!”

Mediation Efforts and Regional Concerns

Oman, which previously mediated between Tehran and Washington, is “working intensively to put in place safe passage arrangements” for the Strait of Hormuz, according to Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi. Albusaidi emphasized that the conflict was not initiated by Iran and warned of widespread economic consequences if the war continued. Al Jazeera reported that Turkey and Egypt have also been involved in mediation efforts.

The war, now in its fourth week, has resulted in over 2,000 deaths and significantly impacted the global economy, with strikes targeting oil and gas facilities and civilian infrastructure.

Conflicting Accounts of Direct Talks

Trump claimed that his Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner had been directly involved in talks with Iranian counterparts late Sunday and continuing into Monday. He stated they were speaking with “a top person” he considered the most respected leader in the country, but clarified this was not Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Trump expressed uncertainty about the younger Khamenei’s status, questioning whether he was even alive. When asked why Iran denied the talks, Trump suggested that disruptions to their telecommunications networks, allegedly caused by U.S. Actions, might be contributing to the confusion.

Trump asserted that the two sides had reached 15 points of agreement, including a commitment from Iran not to develop nuclear weapons, and that the U.S. Would remove any remaining enriched uranium from Iranian facilities. He also suggested the possibility of “jointly controlled” access to the Strait of Hormuz.

Ongoing Fears and Global Response

Trump’s pause on bombing energy infrastructure was welcomed internationally, but concerns remained about the war’s disruption to oil flow through the Strait of Hormuz. Kaja Kallas, the European Union foreign policy chief, warned that attacks on infrastructure were escalating the conflict. Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency, reported that 40 energy assets in nine countries had been “severely or very severely damaged.”

Mirjana Spoljaric, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, stated that deliberate attacks on essential services and civilian infrastructure could constitute war crimes.

Trump indicated that Israel would be “very happy” with the potential deal, anticipating “long term peace, guaranteed peace” for the U.S. Ally. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Trump had informed him of a “chance” of a U.S.-Iran agreement based on the U.S. Achieving its war objectives, but also affirmed that Israel would continue its strikes in Iran and Lebanon.

Military Buildup and Concerns over Escalation

The U.S. Has been increasing its military presence in the region, deploying three California-based warships and approximately 2,500 Marines to the Middle East. This deployment has drawn criticism from Democrats, with Senator Adam Schiff expressing alarm over the prospect of a “novel forever war.” Trump declined to comment on the deployment or his intentions for the Marines.