Trump Signals ‘Friendly’ Talks as Iran War Pauses for Third Night
Donald Trump said the United States and Iran were engaged in "friendly negotiations" after three consecutive days of no new strikes.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, President Trump expressed optimism that the pause could lead to a rapid end to the conflict, adding, “I think there's a good chance that something could happen.” He also warned Washington would resume previous operations if the dialogue collapsed.
Iran’s government has denied that any direct discussions are occurring, while Tehran and U.S. allies had paused their own attacks. Trump noted the pause followed an earlier request from mediators to give talks a chance.
U.S. forces have conducted over two weeks of daily air strikes aimed at degrading Iran’s capacity to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. After a brief pause, U.S. air attacks resumed following an Iranian missile strike on U.S. tankers on July 13.
Trump dismissed questions about ammunition levels, claiming the U.S. holds “a lot of ammunition” and is also building additional Patriot missile systems to guarantee readiness. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly echoed the statement, underscoring the U.S. has abundant munitions for its strategic objectives.
Oil prices fell over 9% that Monday following hopes of de‑escalation, trending to $87.59 per barrel at one point. The temporary lull offers a window for diplomatic efforts, though Tehran’s future moves remain uncertain.
