Trump expects US-Iran ceasefire talks to resume this week

US President Donald Trump said he expects indirect ceasefire talks between American and Iranian mediators to continue this week, according to an Axios report. Two sources confirmed another round of indirect negotiations could be held as early as Monday. The expectation comes one day after Trump rejected an Iranian proposal to end the war and fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz.foxnews.com+1

The talks matter because Washington and Tehran still have no agreement. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi put the proposal to US officials through Qatari mediators on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. Trump's rejection leaves the US naval blockade of Iranian ports in place, while Iran holds firm on its conditions for reopening the strait.washingtonexaminer.com

What Trump told Axios

Trump said during a phone interview: "They want to make a deal, but it is not the deal that I want to make." He added: "It is what we would have maybe agreed to a year ago. They overplayed their hand." Asked if he has considered renewing strikes against Iran, Trump said he is "always thinking about it."

Araghchi told Iranian state media that while he has seen Trump's rejection, he is still waiting for mediators to convey an official response to the proposed deal. A US official and two regional sources said that Qatari mediators have continued to facilitate indirect negotiations over the weekend, meeting each group separately and working toward a compromise proposal for both sides to review.

Iran's response and demands

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran remains engaged in negotiations and is willing to discuss limits on its nuclear program, but argued Washington must first demonstrate it is not seeking to overthrow his government. "We're still talking, we're still engaging in dialogue," Pezeshkian said via translator in an interview with CBS's Face the Nation. He said access for international nuclear inspectors could be negotiated as part of a broader agreement.

Trump said more than 20 million barrels of oil moved through the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend, which he called the largest amount since the war began. A US defense official said that 22 million barrels of oil were exported through the strait on Friday night. The strait is a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which a large share of the world's oil shipments pass daily.

Oil flow through the strait

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., criticised Trump's handling of the war on ABC's This Week, calling it a "disaster" and a "mistake." "The president got into this without a strategic goal, without a plan, without a timeline, without an exit strategy," Kelly said. He also criticised the involvement of Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner in negotiations, arguing officials with experience dealing with Tehran should lead instead.

Brent crude fell more than two percent in trading and natural gas prices declined in the same session following the news. The standoff leaves Washington and Tehran without an agreement, with Iran holding firm on its conditions even after Trump's public rejection. Trump expects to restart bombing operations against Iran after the US midterm elections in early November; Trump declined to answer directly when asked if strikes would resume.

Another round of indirect talks between the US and Iran could take place as early as Monday, as Qatar and other regional mediators continue efforts to reach an agreement. Araghchi said a negotiated solution remains the only way to resolve the standoff over the waterway, and that Qatar and Pakistan are acting as go-betweens for the two countries.