U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. is negotiating with Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, in an interview with the New York Post published Monday.
The former Revolutionary Guard commander was previously floated as Washington’s negotiating partner, but has denied Iran is talking to the U.S. and said Pakistan-facilitated discussions were merely a cover for American troop deployments.
Earlier, Trump threatened widespread destruction of Iran’s energy resources and other vital infrastructure, including desalination plants, if a deal to end the war with Tehran is not reached “shortly.”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the US was engaged in what he termed as "serious discussions" with a "new, and more reasonable" leadership in Iran aimed at ending US military operations there.
Trump added that the discussions have made "great progress", but if for any reason a "deal is not shortly reached" and if the Strait of Hormuz is not immediately "Open for Business,” the US would conclude their "lovely stay" in Iran by "blowing up and completely obliterating" all of Iran's electric generating plants and oil wells.
Meanwhile, Israel has invaded southern Lebanon to push out Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, who have fired rockets and drones across the border, in a campaign that Israeli officials suggest could become a prolonged occupation. Three U.N. peacekeepers were killed in southern Lebanon in less than 24 hours, but it's unclear who was responsible.
U.S. stocks edged higher in shaky trading Monday as oil prices keep climbing because of uncertainty about when the war could end.