Trump Open to Meeting Iran’s New Supreme Leader to Secure War-Ending Deal
CNBC reported Thursday that President Donald Trump said he would be “honored” to sit down with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei if conditions for a Trump Iran deal fall into place. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said a meeting was possible once an agreement takes shape to end the ongoing U.S.-Iran war.
Trump Calls Potential Meeting Conditional on Progress
Trump was answering questions after an unrelated coal-industry announcement. He kept his language measured but direct. A face-to-face with Iran’s new leader, he indicated, was something he could accept. He also described Khamenei as someone with a “very good reputation” in certain circles, suggesting an openness to treating him as a credible negotiating partner.
That framing matters. U.S.-Israeli strikes killed Khamenei’s father, former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on the first day of the conflict. Several other family members also died in those strikes. Trump nonetheless expressed confidence the younger leader would conduct himself professionally.
Background: A War Now in Its Fourth Month
The U.S.-Iran conflict has stretched past the 120-day mark and rattled global commodity markets throughout. Iran seized effective control of the Strait of Hormuz at the outset. The strait handles roughly one-fifth of global oil supply, and its sustained closure has pushed energy costs sharply higher. The national average for gasoline stood near $4.24 per gallon Thursday, according to AAA data.
A shaky ceasefire has held for several weeks, but the diplomatic picture remains unstable. Washington is demanding Tehran permanently renounce nuclear weapons and reopen the strait immediately. Iran’s side wants hostilities to cease on all fronts and the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports lifted.
Conflicting Signals Cloud Negotiations
The talks have produced contradictory headlines in quick succession. Iranian state media said Monday that Tehran’s negotiators were suspending talks and threatened to shut the strait entirely. Two days later, Trump told reporters that Iran had agreed to forgo a nuclear weapon. Neither side has confirmed a binding framework, and markets remain sensitive to each new development.
The diplomatic whiplash has kept oil traders on alert. Any credible signal of a deal could ease supply fears and relieve pressure at the pump. A breakdown, by contrast, risks reigniting price spikes that have already strained consumers and businesses.
Trump’s comments Thursday add one more variable to a situation that remains unresolved.
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