What he says: “One way or another we’ll do something, but there’s no rush. We’ve crippled them financially. They have no money, no gas and their citizens are really fed up,” Trump said in the interview.
Driving the news: Qatari mediators have drafted a deal outlining a three-day sequence of confidence-building measures aimed at resuming direct negotiations between the United States and Iran, according to regional sources.
- A diplomat with knowledge of the situation said Qatari mediators were awaiting reactions from the United States and Iran.
- Trump gives diplomacy a chance but remains clear-eyed about the chances of reaching an agreement.
- “We’re talking to them. Everything’s going well. The problem with them is they’re trying to go along with us. There’s less urgency (on the Iranian side) than you think, but they want to make a deal more than they ever wanted to,” Trump said.
Between the lines: Trump is considering three courses of action, supported by three different camps:
1. Make a deal: Vice President JD Vance and White House envoy Steve Witkoff urged him to move toward a deal because another war might not improve the situation.
- Most Gulf countries support this position and have conveyed it to Trump, according to sources.
2. Return to battle: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to return to the fight, as does Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. They argue that Iran cannot be trusted to make a deal, much less stick to it, and that Trump should finish the job militarily.
3. Maximum economic pain: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are advising Trump to maintain the “no war, no deal” status quo and allow the economic pressure campaign to continue, sources said.
- Ratcliffe told Trump that prolonged economic hardship would prompt Iran to make more concessions — or create enough instability inside the country for citizens to revolt, a source with direct knowledge said. The CIA declined to comment.
The other side: Iran’s civilian leaders appeared optimistic Monday about the chances of reaching a deal.
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei “granted the government certain authorities” to try to reach an agreement through diplomacy.
- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Monday that diplomatic exchanges “have become very intensive.”
- “Qatar and Pakistan are playing a very active mediating role. We have presented our conditions and our proposal, and it all depends on the political rationality of Washington. If they choose real diplomacy, we are ready to engage. But if they intend to engage in deception and military operations, they will face a more painful and severe response than in the past,” he said.
- Araghchi said that if the United States accepted Tehran’s conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, then “negotiations would resume.”
- “Otherwise, the current situation will continue and Iran will not give in,” he said.
The big picture: Russia and China are playing an active role in efforts to reach an agreement.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by telephone on Monday with Iranian Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council General Mohsen Rezaei. The two men discussed efforts to reach a diplomatic agreement.
- Rezaei, who is very close to Khamenei, also received a letter sent recently by Vance offering to resume negotiations.
- Russia has also offered to participate in any nuclear deal, including receiving Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium.
- Meanwhile, Rezaei’s deputy visited Beijing on Monday and met with the Chinese foreign minister. China is also urging the United States and Iran to resume direct negotiations to end the war.
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