U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Sunday that negotiations with Iran are yielding progress, indicating that a breakthrough in talks regarding its nuclear program could be announced within days.
“We had some very good talks with Iran yesterday and today and let’s see what happens, but I think we could have some good news on the Iran front,” Trump told reporters on the tarmac at Morristown Airport in New Jersey before departing for Joint Base Andrews and the White House.
The president described the discussions as focused on averting a military confrontation. “The Iran talks, I can’t tell you what’s going to happen tomorrow. I can tell you the Iran talks have been going very well. And I’d love that to happen. I’d love to see no bombs dropped and a lot of people dead. I really would like to see that happen,” he said. “I think there’s a good chance that it could happen.”
Trump also noted parallel efforts to address the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. “Likewise with Hamas on Gaza. We want to see if we can stop that. And Israel, we’ve been talking to them, and we want to see if we can stop that whole situation as quickly as possible.”
The remarks followed a weekend of what Trump characterized as “very, very good talks” on both fronts.
Meanwhile, Iran stated on Monday it could survive in the event that negotiations failed, Reuters reported.
“It’s not like we will die of hunger if they refuse to negotiate with us or impose sanctions,” Reuters quoted Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian as saying. “We will find a way to survive,” he added.
At the conclusion of the fifth round of talks, held in Rome last week between Iranian and U.S. diplomats, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters that his country would “never accept” a three-year halt to its uranium enrichment program, a demand of the United States.
He further dismissed reports suggesting a possible interim nuclear deal with the Trump administration that would lead up to a “final” agreement, according to Reuters.
“If there is goodwill from the American side, we are also optimistic, but if negotiations are aimed at curbing Iran’s rights then talks will get nowhere,” Baghaei was cited as saying.
The spokesman did not say when the sixth round of talks would commence.