Photo: NASA (Public domain), via Wikimedia Commons (source)
President Donald Trump said Sunday he expects U.S. negotiators to hold more talks with Iran this week, one day after he rejected an Iranian seven-day ceasefire proposal, Axios reported from a phone interview with the president. The Hill carried the same interview and additional comments from Iranian and U.S. officials.
“I expect more talks with Iran [this week]. They want to make a deal, but it is not the deal that I want to make,” Trump told Axios. “It is what we would have maybe agreed to a year ago. They overplayed their hand.”
When Axios asked about a return to strikes on Iran, Trump replied, “I am always thinking about it.” The conflict hits seven months on Monday, The Hill noted.
Context
On Saturday, Trump rejected Tehran’s seven-day plan, telling reporters that Iranian negotiators “want to make a deal where they open” the Strait of Hormuz “immediately,” The Hill reported. He said that offer “would not be acceptable.” Iranian restrictions on shipping through the strait have pushed Brent crude above $107 a barrel as of Monday, according to The Hill.
Axios reported that Qatar and other Gulf mediators are working to restart negotiations, but that the sides remain far apart: Iran wants negotiations focused on the strait and the U.S. naval blockade, while the Trump administration is demanding nuclear concessions. Two regional sources told Axios they expect another round of indirect dialogue as early as Monday.
On CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday, U.N. Ambassador Mike Waltz said the Iranians asked for “everything up front” in a short-term ceasefire, The Hill reported. Waltz also said Tehran is “miscalculating” how Trump weighs the midterms while the war continues.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” said Sunday that Iranian officials “don’t care” about the U.S. election. “We care about our national interests,” he told host Kristen Welker, according to The Hill. “We are ready to negotiate as much as we are ready to face any challenge.” He added, “We stand firm in the face of any aggression against us, even if it comes to a doomsday war,” while saying Iran is “ready for diplomacy.”
What's next
Axios said regional sources expect indirect U.S.-Iran dialogue as early as Monday. Trump’s comments leave open both further talks and the option of renewed strikes; neither side publicly outlined a new negotiating text after the rejected seven-day plan.
Sources
- Axios: After nixing Iran proposal, Trump tells Axios he expects talks this week (2026-09-27)
- The Hill: Trump expects more talks after rejecting latest Iranian proposal (2026-09-27)
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