Trump says direct talks with Iran may be advancing as war and energy pressure continue
US President Donald Trump has said Washington is "hopefully toward the end" of its war with Iran, claiming he has spoken directly with officials in Tehran. His comments point to the possibility of renewed diplomacy, even as fighting has spread into Yemen and global energy markets remain under strain. There is, however, no confirmation from Tehran that direct negotiations with Washington have resumed.
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Trump made the remarks on Wednesday, saying: "Well, hopefully we are toward the end of the war. They want to make a deal. We'll see how that works out." When asked whether he had recently heard from the Iranian side, he said he had spoken with them "directly".
The comments followed his statement on Monday that he was open to talks and that Iran "wants to make a deal, quickly and badly", while leaving open the question of whether Washington would engage. The immediate diplomatic picture remains uncertain. A senior Iranian official rejected talks a day earlier unless Iran's conditions were met, and Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, accused Trump of sending "mixed signals" and said there would be "no talks until Iran's conditions are met".
Former Iranian diplomat Abbas Khameyar also dismissed Trump's claim, saying he did not think there had been any additional effort beyond what was already under way in recent weeks. The lack of public confirmation from Tehran leaves Trump's assertion unverified. The stakes are high because the conflict is now affecting one of the world's most important energy chokepoints.
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Tehran has, in effect, closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of global oil and gas passes, according to the article. Oil prices crossed $100 per barrel last week and remain elevated, adding pressure to consumers and energy-importing economies. The expansion of the conflict into Yemen has also raised concern that the war is no longer confined to direct US-Iran tensions.
The article says Iran-linked Houthis have damaged Saudi oil installations amid renewed fighting, adding another layer of disruption to regional energy infrastructure. That matters because attacks on oil facilities can quickly affect supply expectations even when physical exports are not immediately halted. With the Strait of Hormuz under pressure and Yemen now part of the wider conflict, the risk to shipping and energy flows has become a central part of the diplomatic equation.
The current situation also reflects a pattern in US-Iran relations in which direct contact has often been difficult to confirm publicly. The article notes that negotiations between Washington and Tehran have repeatedly depended on intermediaries, including Qatar, Pakistan and Oman. Trump's claim of direct communication is therefore significant not only for what it may signal about the war, but also for how it differs from the usual channel of indirect diplomacy.
The dispute over talks comes against the backdrop of Iran's demand that the US honour the terms of the deal signed in June, which Tehran says must be met before any further engagement. That condition has become a key obstacle to progress, while Washington's position remains unclear from the material provided. The article suggests that both sides are still testing whether a political opening exists, even as military and economic pressure continues to build.
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What remains unclear is whether Trump's account reflects a genuine shift in contacts or a continuation of earlier, indirect efforts. There is no public confirmation from Tehran that direct negotiations have restarted, and the Iranian side has continued to insist on its conditions. The next developments to watch are whether either government offers a formal statement, whether the fighting in Yemen widens further, and whether oil markets react to any sign of progress or breakdown in talks.
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