President Donald Trump said Thursday that Iran had contacted his administration directly to seek an agreement, raising hopes for an end to the war even as Iranian officials publicly insisted that their conditions must be met before negotiations begin.
“I hope we’re nearing the end of the war,” Trump told reporters after arriving in North Carolina. Asked whether an agreement was possible, he said, “They want to make a deal, and we’ll see how it plays out.” He described the contact as “direct” but did not identify the participants, say when it occurred or explain what was discussed.
Trump’s account contrasted with comments two days earlier from Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. Rezaei accused Trump of sending “contradictory signals” and wrote on X: “As long as Iran’s conditions are not fulfilled, there will be no negotiations.”
At a campaign rally in Gastonia, North Carolina, Trump again predicted the conflict would end soon, describing “a really good ending.” He suggested the war would likely conclude after the November midterm elections, though he left open the possibility of an earlier resolution. He offered no details about the terms of a potential agreement.
Trump reiterated that Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon and defended his administration’s actions despite higher gasoline prices at home. He called the increase a “very small price to pay.”
The remarks came ahead of a planned meeting with Gulf Cooperation Council leaders next Tuesday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Axios, citing three people familiar with the matter, reported that the talks would address the war and plans for its aftermath, according to reports. Officials from all six member countries—Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman—have been invited.
