Trump Says He Is in No Rush for Iran to Return to Negotiations

US President Donald Trump has said there is no fixed deadline for Iran to return to negotiations with Washington, making it clear that he is in no rush to restart diplomatic talks. In an interview with Al Jazeera on Wednesday, Trump said he had “no time schedule” and would wait as long as necessary. Trump claimed the United States was “winning very big” and cited Iran’s economic problems, including high inflation and growing financial pressure. He also criticised Tehran’s handling of anti-government protests. When asked whether economic pressure was more effective than military action, Trump said he believed both were effective.

Qatar is stepping up diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions between the United States and Iran. Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani is due to visit Tehran to meet Iranian officials and discuss ways to create conditions for renewed dialogue. Qatar Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said Doha continues to support diplomacy as the preferred way to resolve disputes and strengthen regional stability. Talks are also expected to cover freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and efforts to restore conditions that existed before February 28.

Trump has separately said he believes Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is still alive despite suffering serious injuries during the conflict. Trump told US commentator Glenn Beck that he did not believe Khamenei was dead but said he was “very seriously wounded.” At the same time, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reportedly told allied foreign ministers that Washington does not currently plan to launch new military strikes against Iran. According to Axios, the administration is instead considering greater economic pressure and naval measures while keeping oil shipments moving through the Strait of Hormuz. US officials have maintained that military options remain available if Tehran launches an attack.

The latest diplomatic push comes after Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir reportedly travelled to Tehran with a US proposal involving the easing of blockades and economic sanctions in return for Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz and stopping attacks by regional proxy groups. Qatar and Pakistan are now playing an increasingly important role in efforts to bring the United States and Iran back towards negotiations. The latest developments come nearly six months after the US military campaign against Iran began on February 28.

Washington and Tehran had agreed to a 60-day memorandum covering issues including the Strait of Hormuz, potential sanctions relief and negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme. That agreement expired earlier this month, leaving the possibility of renewed talks uncertain. For now, Trump’s message is that Washington is willing to wait, while diplomatic efforts by Qatar and Pakistan could determine whether the two sides find a path back to negotiations.