Trump Claims Iran Seeks Deal Amid Military Tensions

President Donald Trump stated that Iran is inclined to negotiate to avoid U.S. military action, despite Tehran's firm stance on its defense systems. "I can say this, they do want to make a deal," Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday, without providing details.

Earlier in the week, Trump warned that time was "running out" for Iran to negotiate a deal on its nuclear program, following the deployment of a large U.S. naval fleet near the country.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded by stating that while no talks are currently planned, Tehran remains open to negotiations based on "mutual respect" and trust. He emphasized that Iran's missile defense systems would "never" be on the negotiating table and reiterated the peaceful nature of the country's nuclear program.

When asked if he had set a deadline for Tehran to reach an agreement, Trump replied, "only they know for sure." He added, "Hopefully we'll make a deal. If we do make a deal, that's good. If we don't make a deal, we'll see what happens."

The U.S. has increased its military presence in the Gulf region, with Trump mentioning a large "Armada" en route to the area. He declined to specify a timeline for its withdrawal, stating, "We'll see how it all works out. They have to float someplace, so they might as well float near Iran."

In a press conference with his Turkish counterpart in Istanbul, Araghchi reiterated that Iran's missile defense systems are not open for negotiation and called for preparations for "fair and just negotiations."

Trump's recent warnings about a nuclear deal follow his promise that Washington would intervene to assist those affected by a crackdown on protests in Iran earlier this month. He stated that help was "on the way" and later mentioned that he had been informed the execution of demonstrators had ceased.

On Thursday, Trump indicated that Iran must meet two conditions to avoid military action: "Number one, no nuclear. And number two, stop killing protesters."

The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that more than 6,300 people, including over 5,900 protesters, have been killed since the unrest began at the end of December.