United States President Donald Trump said he expects an agreement with Iran to extend the current ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz within the next week, despite reports that Tehran has suspended communications with Washington amid escalating tensions linked to the conflict in Lebanon.
Speaking to ABC News, Trump expressed confidence that negotiations would ultimately succeed.
“There was a little glitch today, but I turned that one around very quickly, as you probably noticed earlier,” he said.
The president said Iran's concerns stemmed from Israel's military operations in Lebanon.
“So I spoke with Hezbollah, and I said no shooting, and I talked to Bibi [Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu] and said ‘no shooting’ and they both stopped shooting each other.”
Trump described a potential agreement with Tehran as preferable to military action.
“It’s not a simple thing. You’re talking about a real large country … making a deal. Tremendous hostility, really.
“So it’s not an easy thing for them. It’s actually not easy from our standpoint either. But we’re getting what we need to get.”
Asked when a memorandum of understanding to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could be completed, Trump replied: “I think you’re talking about over the next week.”
He added that an agreement had not yet been finalised because “I still have to get a few more points”.
The comments came hours after Trump posted on Truth Social that “talks are continuing, at a rapid pace, with the Islamic Republic of Iran”.
However, reports citing Iranian state media on Monday noted that Tehran had suspended message exchanges with Washington following Israel's continued military campaign in Lebanon.
Trump's latest remarks contrasted with comments he made earlier in the day during a telephone interview with CNBC, where he appeared far less concerned about the future of negotiations.
“I don’t care if they’re over, honestly,” Trump said when asked about reports that Iran was ending talks with the United States.
“I really don’t care. I couldn’t care less.”
Trump said the discussions had “started to get very boring” and suggested he was prepared to move on if negotiations collapsed.
“If they’re over, they’re over. If they’re not, you know, I think they took too much time. Frankly, I thought they started to get very boring.”
Trump said Iranian officials had not directly informed him that negotiations were ending.
Despite uncertainty surrounding diplomacy, Trump downplayed concerns over the recent surge in oil prices.
“I think the oil will be dropping like a rock in the very near, you know, the very near distance,” he said.
He also argued that Americans would tolerate higher fuel prices if they understood the broader objective of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
“Once you explain that this is all about Iran having a nuclear weapon, people are willing to pay a little bit more,” he said.
Meanwhile, efforts to reduce tensions between Israel and Hezbollah showed limited progress.
Lebanon announced a partial ceasefire agreement on Monday that would see Israel refrain from strikes on Beirut and Hezbollah-controlled suburbs, while Hezbollah would halt attacks on Israel.
However, fighting continued in southern Lebanon later in the day.
Trump claimed he had helped broker the arrangement through discussions with both sides.
In a Truth Social post, he wrote: “There will be no Troops going to Beirut, and any Troops that are on their way, have already been turned back.”
He also said Hezbollah, through intermediaries, had agreed to halt attacks on Israel.
“I had a conversation with Bibi Netanyahu today, asking him not to go into a major raid of Beirut, Lebanon. He turned his Troops around. Thank you Bibi! I also had a conversation with Representatives of the Leaders of Hezbollah, and they agreed to stop shooting at Israel, and its soldiers. Likewise, Israel agreed to stop shooting at them. Let’s see how long that lasts — Hopefully it will be for ETERNITY!”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later indicated that Israel's broader military objectives remained unchanged.
In a post on X, Netanyahu said he informed Trump that “if Hezbollah does not cease attacking our cities and citizens—Israel will attack terror targets in Beirut.”
“This stance of ours remains unchanged. In parallel, the IDF will continue to operate as planned in southern Lebanon,” he wrote.
Israeli forces continue operations in southern Lebanon, where troops have reportedly advanced toward the Zaharani River in the deepest Israeli incursion into Lebanon in 25 years.
Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah said the group would support a comprehensive ceasefire across Lebanon if it led to the withdrawal of Israeli forces, although he stopped short of confirming whether attacks on Israeli territory would cease immediately.
In a statement issued by the Lebanese Embassy in Washington on X, it said it will seek to broaden the ceasefire during talks with Israel scheduled to take place in Washington on Wednesday.
Diplomats hope progress in Lebanon could help revive efforts to secure a more durable peace agreement between the United States and Iran after months of stalled negotiations under a fragile ceasefire arrangement.
