US President Donald Trump has claimed progress in negotiations with Iran, stating that Tehran is engaging seriously and appears interested in reaching a deal to end hostilities. Trump told reporters on Tuesday (March 24) that the US is talking to 'the right people' in Iran and that Iran wants to make a deal 'so badly.' He also mentioned that Iran had made a valuable concession related to non-nuclear energy and the Strait of Hormuz, calling it 'a very big present.'
However, Iran has denied that direct talks have taken place. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf dismissed reports of negotiations as 'fake news,' stating that 'no negotiations have been held with the US.' He accused the US and Israel of manipulating financial and oil markets and escaping their 'quagmire.'
Despite the denials, multiple sources have reported that US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have been in contact with Qalibaf. Three senior Iranian sources told Reuters that Qalibaf could be Iran's representative in hypothetical negotiations, but only preliminary communications have occurred via intermediaries in Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt.
The US has reportedly sent Iran a 15-point settlement proposal, which includes the dismantling of Iran's nuclear program, a halt to uranium enrichment, limits on ballistic missile range, and an end to support for proxy groups. In return, Iran would receive full sanctions relief. Iran has put forward its own demands, including compensation.
Iran has expressed skepticism about US motives, with sources telling The Jerusalem Post that past negotiations with Witkoff and Kushner led to war rather than peace. Iran reportedly prefers to negotiate with US Vice President JD Vance, whom they see as more sympathetic to ending the conflict. The White House has dismissed reports of Iran's preference for Vance as 'foreign propaganda.'
Trump has insisted that the US is making progress and that Iran is speaking 'reasonably,' though he acknowledged there are no guarantees. The situation remains fluid, with both sides presenting differing accounts of the state of negotiations.