US President Donald Trump said on Monday that resuming military strikes on Iran is "highly unlikely" provided that talks between Washington and Tehran keep moving forward, according to Bloomberg.com. He left open the possibility of ordering strikes again, the outlet reported.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio used the same occasion to criticize Iran's demands in the negotiations, Bloomberg.com reported. The outlet did not detail which specific demands Rubio objected to.
Trump tied the decision on any future strikes to whether Tehran agrees to what he described as a "very strong" deal, according to Dawn. That framing suggests the threat of force remains on the table as leverage while diplomacy continues.
CNN reported that the two countries are negotiating quietly, with the Middle East still tense. That account points to a process being conducted largely out of public view, even as senior US officials speak about it openly.
The mixed signals — a softened line on strikes alongside sharp criticism of Iran's position — indicate that Washington is pressing for concessions while trying to keep the diplomatic channel alive. Neither side has announced a deal.
What to watch next: whether the talks produce a concrete agreement, and whether Trump's public assessment of the likelihood of strikes shifts as the negotiations proceed.
