WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Monday that Iran's current leaders have been "very reasonable" in negotiations as the United States and Iran continue indirect and direct meetings amid the ongoing war in the Middle East.
Trump made the remarks while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One and in separate comments reported by Reuters. He described the new Iranian leadership as "a whole different group of people" compared with previous officials, many of whom were killed in U.S. and Israeli strikes that began in late February. "So I would consider that regime change," Trump said, adding that the current representatives "have been very reasonable."
The conflict, which erupted on Feb. 28 with joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites, has entered its second month. Strikes have targeted Iranian air defenses, missile production facilities and naval assets. Iranian retaliatory actions have included missile launches toward Israel and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil shipments.
Trump stated that the U.S. and Iran have engaged in talks "directly and indirectly." He indicated that negotiations were "doing extremely well" and expressed optimism that a deal could be reached soon. Pakistan is preparing to host formal talks between the parties, according to officials in Islamabad.
The comments come as additional U.S. troops, including thousands of Marines, have arrived in the Middle East to support operations. Tehran has warned it will not accept any form of humiliation and has rejected aspects of a U.S. ceasefire proposal, issuing its own counter-demands that include reparations.
Iran's parliament speaker and other officials have maintained a firm public stance against further concessions. Iranian state media has continued to report on civilian impacts from the strikes, with preliminary estimates indicating hundreds of deaths across the region from the fighting.
Trump drew a distinction between earlier Iranian leadership and the current representatives, noting that the initial targets of the campaign included high-level figures. He said the U.S. was now dealing with individuals who had not previously been central to negotiations.
White House officials have not released details of the specific points under discussion. The administration has described its military objectives as degrading Iran's capacity to produce ballistic missiles and threaten shipping lanes.
As of Monday afternoon, no ceasefire agreement has been announced. U.S. forces remain positioned across the Gulf region, and diplomatic efforts through Pakistani intermediaries are expected to continue in the coming days.
