Trump: I Am Considering Striking Iran Again

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U.S. President Donald Trump said he expects to have more talks with Iran this week, just one day after he rejected an Iranian proposal to end the war.

Trump explained in a phone interview with Axios on Sunday that the United States and Iran might resume indirect dialogue, while Qatar and regional mediators continue their efforts to bridge the positions of both parties.

Trump said: "I expect more talks with Iran this week. They want to reach an agreement, but it is not the agreement I want to reach. It is what we might have agreed to perhaps a year ago. They have overestimated their position."

When asked if he was considering resuming strikes against Iran, he replied: "I am always thinking about that."

According to two regional sources, a new round of indirect talks between Washington and Tehran is expected to begin as early as Monday, but the main disagreements between the two sides remain.

One of the most prominent points of contention centers on the Strait of Hormuz. Iran wants the negotiations to focus on reopening the strait and ending the U.S. maritime blockade, while the Trump administration demands that Tehran make concessions regarding its nuclear program.

Last Tuesday, U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held indirect talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, with the participation of Qatari officials who relayed messages between the two sides.

During those talks, Iran proposed reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resuming nuclear negotiations within a week, in exchange for lifting the U.S. maritime blockade, removing sanctions on oil sales, and reinstating the ceasefire in the region. However, Trump rejected the proposal on Saturday.

In response, Qatari mediators continue their efforts between the two parties. An American official and two regional sources told Axios that Qatar has presented a compromise proposal for both sides to review, while amendments to the text of the agreement are being discussed.

It is expected that Qatari mediators will meet with Araqchi and Witkoff separately as early as Monday. In statements to NBC on Sunday, Araqchi said that Iran is still seeking a diplomatic solution despite Trump's rejection of the proposal, adding that the U.S. midterm elections are not part of Tehran's calculations.

He said: "We only care about our national interests. We are ready for negotiations," adding that Iran is still waiting for "an official response through the mediators." Meanwhile, Trump stated that the U.S. military continues to facilitate the passage of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, noting that more than 20 million barrels crossed over the weekend. An American defense official confirmed that about 22 million barrels of oil passed through the strait on Friday night.