President Donald Trump has signalled a potential thaw in U.S.-Iran tensions, announcing from the Oval Office on Tuesday that negotiations are actively underway with Tehran. This development led him to hold back recent threats against Iranian energy infrastructure.
“Based on the fact we’re negotiating,” Trump explained, adding when asked for details, “They’re talking to us, and they’re talking sense.”
According to a New York Times report citing two anonymous officials, the U.S. has delivered a detailed 15-point plan to end the war, passed through Pakistan. While its circulation among Iranian leaders is unclear, questions linger over whether Israel—currently striking Iran alongside American forces—would back it.
Trump built on Monday comments hinting at “like 15” points of agreement, with blocking Iran’s nuclear programme topping the list as “No. 1, 2 and 3.” He named Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, envoy Steve Witkoff, and adviser Jared Kushner as key participants in recent talks.
Iran denies direct contact, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani insisting on third-party channels only, amid internal deliberations reported by Reuters on 24 March 2026.
Regional efforts are stirring too. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered mediation via X, a post Trump shared on Truth Social—highlighting Islamabad’s history in deals like Iran-Saudi reconciliations, as covered by Al Jazeera.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt tempered expectations. “These are sensitive diplomatic discussions and the United States will not negotiate through the news media,” she said.
“As President Trump and his negotiators explore this newfound possibility of diplomacy, Operation Epic Fury continues unabated to achieve the military objectives laid out by the commander in chief and the Pentagon.”
Trump later claimed victory is assured, particularly on nukes. “We’re talking about that, and I don’t want to say in advance, but they’ve agreed they will never have a nuclear weapon. They’ve agreed to that,” he said. Still, a $200 billion war funding push persists, and the Pentagon readies 3,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne for the region, per Wall Street Journal and CNN reports.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly confirmed options remain open. “All announcements regarding troop deployments will come from the Department of War,” she noted. “As we have said, President Trump always has all military options at his disposal.” Analysts at the Council on Foreign Relations see third-party roles as crucial to averting escalation.