President Donald Trump made it clear this weekend that while Iran may be eager to end the conflict, the United States isn’t rushing into a weak deal.
Speaking with NBC News on Saturday, Trump said Iran has been pushing for negotiations to stop the ongoing war — but he’s not prepared to accept an agreement unless the terms meet strict conditions.
“Iran wants to make a deal, and I don’t want to make it because the terms aren’t good enough yet,” Trump said.
According to the president, any potential agreement would require one major condition: Iran must completely abandon its nuclear ambitions. Trump emphasized that the United States will not halt the ongoing U.S.–Israel military campaign unless the deal is strong and enforceable.
“The terms have to be very solid,” he said.
In other words, no rushed handshake deals and no empty promises — something critics say plagued previous negotiations with Tehran.
Trump also addressed Iran’s current military capabilities, arguing that much of the regime’s leverage comes from its ability to threaten nearby shipping routes and coastal areas with mines and short-range missiles.
However, the president suggested those capabilities could soon be neutralized.
“The only power they have… is the power of dropping a mine or shooting a relatively short-range missile,” Trump explained. “But when we get finished with the shoreline, they’re not going to have that power either.”
The president also raised questions about the status of Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who replaced his father after the death of longtime ruler Ali Khamenei.
Trump noted that Mojtaba Khamenei has been largely absent from public view since assuming power. In a break from long-standing tradition, the new leader recently issued a statement on Iranian state television without appearing on camera.
That unusual move has sparked speculation about his situation behind the scenes.
For now, the message from the White House appears straightforward: Iran may want the conflict to end, but the United States will only agree to peace if the outcome eliminates the nuclear threat and protects long-term security in the region.
And if negotiations are going to happen, the administration wants them done right — not rushed, not weak, and definitely not on Iran’s terms.
