Trump Announces Direct Contact with Iran Amid Escalating Regional Tensions

President Donald Trump says the United States is “hopefully toward the end” of its war with Iran, claiming that he has directly spoken to officials in Tehran, raising the prospect of renewed diplomacy even as fighting has erupted in Yemen.

However, there is still no confirmation from Tehran that direct negotiations with Washington have resumed. A senior Iranian official publicly rejected talks unless Iran’s conditions were met. Tehran, which has closed the Strait of Hormuz, is demanding that the US honor the terms of the June agreement.

What Trump Is Saying

“Well, hopefully we are toward the end of the war,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday. “They want to make a deal. We’ll see how that works out.”

When asked whether he had recently heard from Iran, Trump said he had spoken with them “directly.”

Trump’s comments follow his earlier statement on Monday that he was open to talks and that Iran “wants to make a deal, quickly and badly.” He added that he would decide whether Washington would engage with Tehran.

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, accused Trump of sending “mixed signals” and said “no talks until Iran’s conditions are met.”

Trump’s claim that he has spoken directly with Iran is notable because previous negotiations have relied on intermediaries such as Qatar, Pakistan and Oman. He has previously claimed direct communication with Tehran.

Former Iranian diplomat Abbas Khameyar dismissed Trump’s claims. “I don’t think there has been any additional effort beyond what was already under way in recent weeks,” he said.

He noted that Iran’s diplomatic activity has not moved beyond the framework already in place, focusing on enforcing the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) rather than opening new negotiations.

Latest Developments in US‑Iran Diplomacy

On Thursday, Iran’s semi‑official Tasnim news agency reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke by telephone with Pakistani army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, who has been mediating between Washington and Tehran. The call took place while Araghchi was still in Beijing.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, after meeting Araghchi in Beijing, urged the US and Iran to exercise restraint and reopen the Strait of Hormuz promptly.

Araghchi said Tehran seeks “the restoration of calm to the region and friendly and peaceful relations with our neighbours” and has begun dialogue with regional countries.

He posted on X that consultations with Chinese officials were “successful” and that Tehran values its strategic partnership with Beijing.

Chinese President Xi Jinping offered Beijing’s willingness to play a role in peace efforts at the BRICS summit in New Delhi, calling on BRICS nations to advance peace in the Middle East.

Analysts note that China’s role in international affairs is growing amid the current geopolitical turmoil.

Meanwhile, Axios reports that Trump is expected to meet Gulf leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly next week to discuss the conflict’s impact on oil exports.

Diplomatic efforts have repeatedly stalled since a Pakistan‑brokered MoU between Washington and Tehran collapsed last month, with both sides accusing each other of violations.

The MoU was intended to launch a 60‑day peace‑talk window and included provisions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a major flashpoint.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said earlier this month that Tehran would return to the agreement if Washington did the same.

Houthi Meeting with US Officials

US officials met representatives of Yemen’s Houthi movement at the US embassy in Muscat over the weekend, according to five sources familiar with the matter. Oman helped arrange the meeting.

The Houthis told US officials they did not intend to attack American vessels and remained committed to a 2025 ceasefire with Washington. They also pledged not to target Israeli or other commercial vessels, with the exception of Saudi ships.

After a 2022 ceasefire between the Saudi‑backed government and the Iran‑aligned Houthis, the conflict largely subsided but reignited in July.

In recent weeks, the Houthis have taken control of Yemen’s entire Red Sea coastline, cementing their grip on the strategic Bab al‑Mandeb strait, a vital route linking Asia and Europe.

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