Trump: Tehran wants a deal, but offers unacceptable conditions. No evidence that Russia is helping Iran

US President Donald Trump said that Iran is ready to negotiate to end the war, but Washington is not inclined to conclude an agreement for now, because the proposed conditions are “not good enough“.

In a nearly 30-minute telephone interview with “NBC News“ Trump said that Tehran wants a deal, but the American administration will only accept “very solid conditions“. The president refused to specify exactly what they would be, adding only that Iran's complete abandonment of nuclear ambitions would be part of a possible agreement. Just ten days ago, Trump said that Iran “called” for a deal.

The military operation and the strikes on Kharg Island

Trump also commented on the ongoing military operation against Iran, which began two weeks ago with joint strikes by the US and Israel. According to him, the American attacks on the strategic Kharg Island have destroyed most of the military infrastructure there.

The US Central Command announced that “precision strikes” about 90 military targets, including missile depots and other facilities, while oil infrastructure was spared, according to official figures.

The president said that US forces had destroyed a significant part of Iran's missiles, drones and production facilities for them.

Security of the Strait of Hormuz

Trump announced that he was holding talks with other countries to ensure security in the Strait of Hormuz - a strategic sea corridor through which a significant part of the world's oil trade passes.

According to him, a number of countries have already expressed their readiness to participate in an operation to ensure the safety of shipping, but he refused to name them. In a post on the social network “Truth Social“ (Truth Social) the president expressed hope that countries such as China, France, Japan, South Korea and the UK will send warships to the region.

Doubts about the health of the new supreme leader of Iran

Trump also questioned the health of the new supreme leader of Iran, Mojtaba Khamenei, who took power after the death of his father Ali Khamenei in the first blows of the conflict.

According to the president, it is not clear whether the new leader is alive, as he has not appeared in public since his appointment and has only published a written statement.

Criticism of Zelensky

In the interview, Trump also criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He said it is “much more difficult” to reach an agreement with him to end the war in Ukraine than with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump also confirmed that some sanctions on Russian oil have been temporarily eased to mitigate the sharp rise in oil prices on world markets.

Oil and Gasoline Prices

The president dismissed concerns that rising fuel prices could negatively affect the ruling party in the upcoming midterm elections. He said gasoline prices would begin to fall after the conflict ends.

According to data from “Gasbuddy“ (Gasbuddy) the average price of gasoline in the United States has risen from about $2.94 per gallon on March 1 to about $3.66 in mid-March.

Russia's Possible Role

Asked if Russia was providing intelligence to Iran, Trump said it was possible but had no confirmation. He added that the United States was also providing information to Ukraine as part of efforts to end the war between Kiev and Moscow.