United States President Donald Trump stated that the US is “talking” to Iranian leaders regarding bringing an end to the war, but noted that he does not think they are ready to make a deal.
United States President Donald Trump stated that the Iranian regime “badly” wants to negotiate but is not yet ready to make a deal to end the ongoing conflict with the US and Israel during a press conference given aboard Air Force 1 on Sunday.
When probed on possible diplomatic negotiations between Washington and Tehran, Trump stated that the US is “talking” to Iranian leaders regarding bringing an end to the war.
“They want to negotiate badly, as they should. We're talking to them. But I don't think they're ready,” he said.
Trump slammed the leadership of the Iranian regime, many of whom have been killed, as “violent and vicious,” “horrible people” who have “destroyed the country.”
He described the regime’s violent crackdown on anti-regime protestors that began in December 2025, during which thousands of protestors were killed by regime forces.
“They shot and killed 32,000 protesters who were greatly enthusiastic and wanted to see a change,” he claimed, adding that he “can fully understand” why Iranians citizens have not yet risen up to attempt to overthrow the regime.
The Iranian regime “put out a notice two days ago that they’re going to shoot and kill any protesters… The protesters have no guns. So I can fully understand why they're not doing it.”
Iran 'essentially defeated,' Trump claims
Trump additionally claimed that joint US-Israeli Operations Epic Fury Roaring Lion have “essentially defeated Iran,” but noted that he is not yet ready to officially declare victory against the Iranian regime.
“I think I'd just say they're decimated…. If we left right now, it would take them 10 years or more to rebuild. But I'm still not declaring it over.”
Trump noted that Iran has been fighting back, but emphasized the destruction of much of the regime’s military capacity.
“Their missiles are down to a low number… we've decimated their manufacturing capability. Likewise, the drones are way down. They're down to about 20% of what they had,” he said, adding that as of Saturday, the US had begun striking drone manufacturing facilities.
He claimed that if the Iranian regime were allowed to develop nuclear weapons, they would have “used it immediately upon getting it,” resulting in “Israel and the Middle East [being] hit by nuclear weapons.”
Trump emphasized the importance of previous US-Israeli operations against the regime, specifically Operation Midnight Hammer, in which the US and Israel destroyed much of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and development sites.
“If I didn't send in the B-2 bombers to bomb the hell out of it and obliterate [it]... and stopped all their potential nuclear… You would have had nuclear warfare in the Middle East, and I think Israel would have been obliterated.”
