President Donald Trump said Monday that Iran wants a settlement with the United States “as soon as possible” and that an agreement “could happen,” even as negotiations between Washington and Tehran continued without a breakthrough.
“Iran wants a settlement, as soon as possible. It could happen!” Trump wrote on Truth Social Monday afternoon.
Trump also pointed to a sharp drop in oil prices as evidence that markets expect the standoff to be resolved without renewed fighting. “Oil Prices are DROPPING LIKE A ROCK, down almost $10 a Barrel, A RECORD, because people feel that there will not be a War with Iran,” he wrote.
Speaking earlier Monday near the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington during his final campaign appearance before the midterm elections, Trump repeated the claim, noting the damage already done to Iran’s navy, air force and missile capabilities. “They want to make a deal. And it could happen,” he said.
In an interview with Axios, Trump said the military and economic pressure already placed on Iran meant there was no need to rush back into strikes. “One way or the other, we will do something, but there is no rush,” he said, adding that sanctions had left Tehran in dire financial shape. “We crippled them financially,” he said, repeating his criticism that Iran has repeatedly tried to stall negotiations.
Vance Cites Progress, No Deadline Set
Vice President JD Vance told reporters at Joint Base Andrews Monday that he had spoken with Trump about an hour earlier and that both men were encouraged by the state of talks.
“The president and I both feel pretty good about the prospects for potentially coming to a negotiated settlement,” Vance said.
Vance cautioned, however, that Iran remains unpredictable and that Trump still has both military and nonmilitary options available. Asked whether the administration had set a deadline for Tehran before strikes could resume, Vance said no deadline exists. He said Washington’s core demand remains verifiable assurances that Iran will not rebuild the nuclear program targeted in earlier American strikes.
“We want to make sure they don’t rebuild it or try to rebuild it. That’s what matters most to the United States,” Vance said.
The exchanges follow a letter Vance reportedly sent last week to Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and a former IRGC commander, as part of efforts to explore a settlement while Washington weighed further military action.
Iran Maintains Prior Demands
Despite the renewed diplomacy, Tehran has stuck to demands Washington has already rejected, including an end to the American naval blockade, sanctions relief, and concessions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Monday that “the ball is in the U.S. court,” arguing Tehran had already presented its demands and is waiting on a response from Washington. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has offered to compress implementation of Iran’s existing seven-step proposal from one week to two days, without changing the underlying terms the U.S. has rejected.
Reuters reported Monday that Iranian negotiators left Doha after several days of mediated talks without a breakthrough, though a draft proposal is reportedly still circulating and further discussions remain possible. Qatar has stepped up its mediation role, with a delegation reportedly traveling to Tehran Monday for its third visit in a week, according to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman said he discussed de-escalation efforts with War Secretary Pete Hegseth, along with broader defense cooperation and ongoing Houthi attacks on the kingdom.
No Strikes Planned After Midterms, Trump Says
Trump has previously said the U.S. would not resume strikes before the midterm elections, though reports over the past week have described preparations for possible action afterward. American officials have reportedly examined options for renewed strikes, and Gulf governments have warned that another round of conflict could prompt Iranian retaliation against military bases, energy infrastructure and shipping lanes.
Asked Monday as he left his Washington appearance whether he was considering striking Iran again after the midterms, Trump said “No,” according to NBC News correspondent Garrett Haake, who shouted the question at the president.
Even so, Trump has repeatedly warned that military operations against Iran, including further strikes on nuclear facilities, remain on the table, insisting Tehran must never acquire a nuclear weapon. At a campaign rally in Iowa on Sunday, he said he had held off on further strikes to limit casualties, but warned his patience has limits.
“The only reason we are not finished with Iran is because I want to be nice. I want to try and save all those lives if I can,” Trump said. “But at some point, we’re going to have to give them the hammer.”
For now, talks continue without an announced deadline, with Washington pressing for verifiable nuclear restrictions and Tehran holding to demands that have yet to produce an agreement.
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