BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 17. US President Donald Trump has said Washington is “hopefully toward the end” of its war with Iran and claimed that he has spoken directly with officials in Tehran, raising questions about whether diplomatic contacts between the two sides are gaining momentum.
Trump’s comments suggest the possibility of renewed diplomacy even as fighting continues in Yemen and broader regional tensions remain high.
However, Mohsen Rezaei of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council accused the US president of sending “mixed signals” and said negotiations could not take place until Tehran’s conditions were met.
“There can be no talks until Iran’s conditions are met,” Rezaei said, indicating that significant differences remain between Washington and Tehran despite Trump’s statements about direct communication.
Former Iranian diplomat Abbas Khameyar also expressed skepticism about Trump’s claims, saying he did not believe any major new diplomatic initiative had emerged beyond contacts already under way in recent weeks.
“I don’t think there has been any additional effort beyond what was already under way in recent weeks,” Khameyar told Al Jazeera.
According to Khameyar, Washington has promoted a narrative through Trump’s public statements and social media posts suggesting that Iranian officials are seeking talks with the United States.
He argued, however, that events had not unfolded in the way described by Trump and questioned claims that Tehran was actively pressing Washington for a meeting.
The conflicting statements highlight the continuing uncertainty surrounding possible US-Iran negotiations, with Washington signaling the possibility of direct contacts while Iranian figures stress that Tehran’s conditions would have to be addressed before formal talks could proceed.
