US President Donald Trump on Wednesday claimed that Iran was interested in holding talks with the United States and pursuing a possible agreement. At the same time, he issued a warning to Tehran, saying it should ‘behave,’ while suggesting that any future military confrontation would end in Iran’s defeat.
Trump made the remarks during an interview but did not provide details about any planned diplomatic meetings or a possible timeline for negotiations.
Trump claims Iran is seeking a settlement
Speaking about US-Iran relations, Trump said Iran wanted to engage with Washington and reach an understanding.
‘We’ll find out if we settle with them,’ Trump said.
He added, ‘They better behave.’
The comments come at a time when tensions between the two countries remain high over regional security issues and Iran’s nuclear programme.
Warning over future conflict
Trump also said Iran would be ‘defeated soon’ if the current conflict continued. However, he did not explain the basis for the statement or provide further details about the administration’s assessment.
Despite his remarks, the US president did not confirm whether any formal negotiations had been arranged.
Calls for faster defence production
During the interview, Trump also stressed the need to speed up the production of military equipment in the United States.
He said the country required ‘a little more speed’ in defence manufacturing, while clarifying that his priority was improving production capacity rather than increasing defence spending.
US launches second wave of strikes
Trump’s comments came as the United States expanded its military operations against Iran. On Wednesday, US forces carried out a second round of strikes targeting Iranian coastal defence systems, missile launch sites and other military infrastructure.
According to US officials, the strikes were aimed at military assets allegedly being used to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy transit routes.
The latest attacks followed an earlier wave of strikes carried out on the same day, marking a further escalation in the ongoing conflict.
Iran responds
Following the US attacks, Iran said it was engaged in what it described as an ‘existential war’ with the United States. Tehran also warned that the conflict could lead to wider disruptions to regional energy exports.
Trump’s latest remarks come as Washington continues to evaluate its broader strategy towards Iran amid rising tensions across the Middle East. Although he maintained that Tehran was interested in a settlement, he did not indicate whether any official talks had been scheduled.
First published on: Jul 16, 2026 07:32 AM IST
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