US not prepared to reach deal with Iran; conditions ‘not good enough yet’

2026-03-15 - 05:36

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he is not prepared to reach an agreement with Iran, stating that the conditions currently being discussed “are not good enough yet.” In a phone interview with NBC News, Trump said Tehran has expressed interest in negotiating a deal but that Washington is not satisfied with the proposed terms. “Iran wants to make a deal, and I don’t want to make it because the terms aren’t good enough yet,” Trump said, declining to specify what concessions the United States expects from Tehran. He indicated, however, that any potential agreement would require Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions. The US president also confirmed that American forces carried out strikes on Kharg Island, a strategic oil export terminal through which the majority of Iran’s crude shipments pass. The facility on Kharg Island is considered a vital hub for Iran’s oil exports and a critical component of the country’s energy infrastructure. Trump also cast doubt on reports about the status of Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, describing rumors about his death as unconfirmed, dw.com reports. “I’m hearing he’s not alive, and if he is, he should do something very smart for his country, and that’s surrender,” Trump said. Despite rising tensions in the region and sharp fluctuations in global oil markets following US and Israeli strikes on Iran, Trump downplayed concerns about the impact on energy supplies. “There’s so much oil and gas out there. It’s being clogged up a little bit, but it will be unclogged very soon,” he added. The comments come amid ongoing uncertainty over Washington’s strategy toward Tehran. Analysts note that the Trump administration has offered differing explanations for the military action against Iran and has yet to outline a clear path toward ending the conflict.