Trump says Iran is ready to negotiate a ceasefire but he's not ready to make a deal

The president said the "terms aren't good enough yet" to make a deal with Iran amid a widening war in the Middle East.

March 14, 2026, 7:12 PM EDT

President Donald Trump said Saturday that he’s not ready to make a deal to end the war with Iran despite the country’s willingness to do so “because the terms aren’t good enough yet,” but declined to say what those terms would be.

In a wide-ranging, nearly 30-minute telephone interview with NBC News, the president also said he is working with other countries on a plan to secure the Strait of Hormuz amid surges in global oil prices, and he dismissed Americans’ concerns about rising gas prices since the U.S. and Israel launched their joint military operation two weeks ago.

The president also questioned whether Iran’s new supreme leader is “even alive.”

Trump said he was “surprised” that Iran decided to attack other Middle Eastern countries in response to the U.S.-Israeli operation, and that U.S. strikes on Kharg Island on Saturday “totally demolished” most of the island but that “we may hit it a few more times just for fun.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/iran-negotiate-ceasefire-deal-trump-kharg-hormuz-oil-rcna263474

Long article but I thought I’d share what Trump said, exactly my sense of Humor! KEKThat’s my President

Trump says Iran is ready to negotiate a ceasefire but he's not ready to make a deal. 1/4

The president said the "terms aren't good enough yet" to make a deal with Iran amid a widening war in the Middle East.

March 14, 2026, 7:12 PM EDT

President Donald Trump said Saturday that he’s not ready to make a deal to end the war with Iran despite the country’s willingness to do so “because the terms aren’t good enough yet,” but declined to say what those terms would be.

In a wide-ranging, nearly 30-minute telephone interview with NBC News, the president also said he is working with other countries on a plan to secure the Strait of Hormuz amid surges in global oil prices, and he dismissed Americans’ concerns about rising gas prices since the U.S. and Israel launched their joint military operation two weeks ago.

The president also questioned whether Iran’s new supreme leader is “even alive.”

Trump said he was “surprised” that Iran decided to attack other Middle Eastern countries in response to the U.S.-Israeli operation, and that U.S. strikes on Kharg Island on Saturday “totally demolished” most of the island but that “we may hit it a few more times just for fun.”

He also slammed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying he was “far more difficult to make a deal with” than Russian President Vladimir Putin over efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Trump’s comments follow criticism from global leaders after the U.S. eased sanctions on Russian oil in an effort to mitigate surging global oil prices.

Trump says he's not ready to make a deal with Iran

On the phone call, Trump said he was unwilling to make a deal to end the war with Iran at this stage.

“Iran wants to make a deal, and I don’t want to make it because the terms aren’t good enough yet,” he said, adding that any terms will have to be “very solid.”

When asked what the terms of a potential deal to end the war would be, the president responded:“I don’t want to say that to you.” But he agreed that a commitment from Iran to completely abandon any nuclear ambitions would be part of it.

Trump’s comments come after Reuters reported that the Trump administration had brushed aside efforts to advance talks to end the war.

He also previewed what the rest of the U.S. military operation in Iran could look like. It began last month with Israeli and U.S. forces launching joint strikes on the nation and Iran responding by launching strikes on Israel and U.S. targets in nearby countries. Thirteen active U.S. service personnel have died since the conflict began, including six U.S. crew members who died Friday after their military refueling plane crashed in Iraq.

Trump administration officials have sent mixed messages in the last two weeks about what the U.S. military goals are in Iran and how long the conflict could last,with Trump at times saying it could take a month or longer and at other times times saying “we are way ahead of the timetable” and there’s “practically nothing left to target.”

On Saturday, the president said that“the only power they have, and it’s a power that can be closed off relatively quickly, is the power of dropping a mine or shooting a relatively short-range missile.But when we get finished with the shoreline, they’re not going to have that power either.”(???)

He added later: “We’ve knocked out most of their missiles. We’ve knocked out most of their drones. We knocked out their manufacturing of missiles and drones, largely.Within two days, it’ll be totally decimated.”

Securing the Strait of Hormuz

Trump on Saturday said he is asking “numerous countries that are affected by the thuggery of Iran” to help secure the Strait of Hormuz — a key marine passageway for oil tankers — as global oil prices have surged amid the war.

Iran’s leaders, meanwhile, have vowed to keep the strait closed and have called for even higher oil prices since the conflict began.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/iran-negotiate-ceasefire-deal-trump-kharg-hormuz-oil-rcna263474

>>24382425

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Thepresident said several countries have committed to helping secure the strait, but declined to name any of them.

“They’ve not only committed, but they think it’s a great idea,” he said.

In a Truth Social post on Saturday morning, Trump wrote: “Many Countries, especially those who are affected by Iran’s attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending War Ships, in conjunction with the United States of America, to keep the Strait open and safe,” adding:“Hopefully China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and others, that are affected by this artificial constraint, will send Ships to the area.”

On the phone call, Trump said it’s not clear whether Iran has dropped mines into the strait.

“We’re going to be sweeping the strait very strongly, and we believe we’ll be joined by other countries who are somewhat impeded, and in some cases impeded from getting the oil,” he added.

The president demurred when asked whether the U.S.Navy would start escorting ships through the strait, saying, “I don’t want to tell you anything about that,” but adding that “it’s possible.”

The president also confirmed that U.S. forces carried out strikes on Kharg Island, a strategic island off the coast of Iran that is home to an oil terminal responsible for the majority of the nation’s oil exports.

U.S. Central Command said Saturday morning it had conducted “precision strikes” on 90 military targets while “preserving the oil infrastructure,” but Trump said later Saturday that“we totally demolished Kharg Island, but we may hit it a few more times just for fun.”

“We’ve totally decimated it,” the president added. “Except, as you know, I didn’t do anything having to do with the energy lines, because having to rebuild that would take years.”

Trump questions whether Iran’s new supreme leader is ‘even alive’

The president on Saturday questioned whether Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is alive after Khamenei did not appear on camera to issue his first statement as Iran’s leader on Thursday.

In a written statement, Khamenei, the son of slain predecessor Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowed to keep blocking the Strait of Hormuz and attacking U.S. allies in the region.

“I don’t know if he’s even alive. So far, nobody’s been able to show him,”Trump said on the phone Saturday.

“I’m hearing he’s not alive, and if he is, he should do something very smart for his country, and that’s surrender,” Trump added, but called the news of his death “a rumor.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday said that the younger Khamenei was “wounded and likely disfigured” and called his written statement a “weak one.”

“Iran has plenty of cameras and plenty of voice recorders. Why a written statement? I think you know why. His father: dead; he’s scared, he’s injured, he’s on the run, and he lacks legitimacy,” Hegseth added.

Khamenei was named the new supreme leader earlier this week after the initial U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran killed his father a week earlier.

Trump declined to say whether there was one particular Iranian leader whom he would like to see take over as supreme leader, saying instead,“We have people that are living that would be great leaders for the future of the country.”

Asked whether he’s in touch with any of the potential leaders, the president said:“I don’t want to say that. I don’t want to put them in jeopardy.”

Trump ‘surprised’ that Iran targeted other Middle Eastern countries

The president said Saturday that U.S. allies in the Middle East, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia,“have been terrific” and “they got shot at unnecessarily.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/iran-negotiate-ceasefire-deal-trump-kharg-hormuz-oil-rcna263474

>>24382426

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“I was very surprised,” Trump said about Iran targeting other Middle Eastern countries, addingit was “the biggest surprise I had of this whole thing.”

According to an NBC News analysis, Iran has been firing drones into Middle Eastern countries including those Trump mentioned, plus Bahrain and Kuwait, and targeting oil infrastructure, logistics hubs and government centers.

The U.S. does not release data on the number of drones it faces or intercepts, but data fromthe UAE says that 1,475 unmanned aerial vehicles had been fired at the country as of March 10.

On Saturday morning, Iraqi officials said an Iranian strike hit a helipad inside a U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad. Also on Saturday, in the wake of the U.S. strikes on Kharg Island,Iran threatened to destroy oil and gas infrastructure throughout the region if the U.S. struck oil infrastructure on the island.

Trump ‘not concerned’ about rising gas prices

Trump, who in 2024 repeatedly attackedthen-President Joe Biden over high gas prices, dismissed concerns on Saturday about whether rising gas prices in the U.S. could hurt Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections.

“I think they’ll go lower than they were before, and I had them at record lows,” Trump said about gas prices, promising that they would drop soon after the war in Iran ends.

On March 1, the day after the U.S. and Israel began attacking Iran, gas was averaging $2.94 a gallon in the U.S., per GasBuddy. On Saturday, the average price was $3.66.

“There’s so much oil, gas — there’s so much out there, but you know, it’s being clogged up a little bit.It’ll be unclogged very soon,” the president added.

Asked directly about whether gas prices could affect the midterms, Trump said, “I’m not concerned at all.

“The only thing I want to do is make sure that Iran can never be the bully of the Middle East again,” he added.

Trump says Russia is ‘perhaps’ sharing information with Iran (I think this means is Putin agreed to talk to Iran on negotiations on Trump’s behalf. He’s said that at least once before, and Trump and Putin want to end the war. My theory.)

Asked about his decision to temporarily lift some sanctions on Russian oil amid surging global oil prices, the president said: “I want to have oil for the world. I want to have oil,”

He added that the sanctions, which were imposed when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022,will “go back as soon as the crisis is over.”

On Saturday, when asked about criticism from some foreign leaders about lifting the sanctions, Trump didn’t directly answerbut trained his ire on the Ukrainian president, saying over the phone, “I’m surprised that Zelenskyy doesn’t want to make a deal. Tell Zelenskyy to make a deal because Putin’s willing to make a deal.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/iran-negotiate-ceasefire-deal-trump-kharg-hormuz-oil-rcna263474

>>24382428

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“Zelenskyy is far more difficult to make a deal with,” the U.S. president added.

Zelenskyy earlier this month offered to help U.S. forces and their allies in the Middle East with intercepting Iranian drones, using the Ukrainian military’s experience with shooting down Russian drones.

But on Saturday,Trump said that “we don’t need help,” adding that the “last person we need help from is Zelenskyy.”

The president declined to comment on whether the U.S. has accepted Ukraine’s help with drone interception technology.

In a post on X on Friday,Zelenskyy wrote: “Countries in the Middle East have reached out to us, asking to share our expertise in intercepting Iranian ‘shahed’ drones during massive strikes. That is why we have already sent expert teams to three countries.”Liar

Earlier Saturday, an Iranian politician said Ukraine was a “legitimate and lawful target”for Iran because Ukraine offered help defending against Iranian drones.

Asked to respond to reports that Russia issharing intelligence with Iran about the location of U.S. forces, Trump said, “Russia is perhaps giving information, perhaps they’re not.”

He added that the U.S. is “doing that against them,” because “we’re giving a little information to Ukraine and we’re trying to make peace between the two nations.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/iran-negotiate-ceasefire-deal-trump-kharg-hormuz-oil-rcna263474

I love the fact PDJT is telling Zelensky via the media, he is a pain in the ass and he doesn’t want anything to do with him. Zelensky going to try to apologize and beg for attention. Or have z hissy fit in the media that will make it worse. Trump cut off Zelensky the last time he talked to him, is my guess!

>>24382431. I knew RT would have an article out of what Trump said about Zelensky…KEK

Trump calls Zelensky the ‘last person we need help from’

The US president has rejected Kiev’s offer to intercept Iranian drones in the Middle East

Published 15 Mar, 2026 04:19

Trump calls Zelensky the ‘last person we need help from’

US President Donald Trump has dismissed Vladimir Zelensky’s offer to assist with countering Iranian drones in the Middle East, saying he is the “last person” Washington needs help from.

Since the launch of US-Israeli strikes on Iran late last month,Zelensky has repeatedly signaled his readiness to get involved in the conflict, claiming that Washington has appealed for help defending American assetsstationed in the Gulf against Iranian retaliatory attacks. On Friday, he reiterated the offer on X,arguing that without Ukrainian “expertise,” the US will not be able to “stabilize the situation.”(That was absolutely the last fucking straw. Z should stay away from then US and keep his lying mouth shut.)

In a telephone interview with NBC News on Saturday,the US president rejected the idea that Washington requested or requires Ukrainian assistance.

“We don’t need help,” Trump said, adding that Zelensky is the “last person we need help from.”

Trump also criticized Zelensky’s approach to negotiations with Moscow, arguing that “Zelensky is far more difficult to make a deal with” than Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“I’m surprised that Zelensky doesn’t want to make a deal.Tell Zelensky to make a deal because Putin’s willing to make a deal,” he told NBC.

Since returning to office last year, Trump has pushed for a negotiated settlement between Kiev and Moscow, leading to US-mediated trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi in January and follow-up negotiations in Geneva last month.

How Russia’s crisis diplomacy lifted sanctions and infuriated Zelensky

The next round of talks was expected to take place in early March. However, with the Trump administration focused on the conflict with Iran, the meeting has reportedly been postponed until next week at the earliest.

Zelensky then sought to insert Ukraine into the Middle East conflict, saying he had instructed officials to “provide the necessary means and ensure the presence of Ukrainian specialists capable of guaranteeing the necessary security.”

The head of the national security commission of the Iranian parliament, Ebrahim Azizi, reacted on X, saying that “by providing drone support to the Israeli regime, failed Ukraine has effectively become involved in the war,”and warning that Kiev could face retaliation, with the entire country becoming a target.

https://www.rt.com/news/635028-trump-zelensky-last-person/

I’m laughing my ass off, Zelensky has No Idea what Trump is capable of! He should back off and not speak unless he’s spoken too. You have to admit Trump has had a lot of patience with this asahole==. And Z stuck his nose in when Trump, Hegseth, Caine and US Military are fighting a war that is deadly. He should disappear asap. Which further proves Zelensky was never making decisions to fight a war.)

Belgian PM urges EU to negotiate with Russia

Bart De Wever warns the bloc will end up with a “bad agreement” if sidelined from Ukraine peace talks

Published 15 Mar, 2026 01:34 | Updated 15

(Why do Europeans look like guys out of England comedy shows from the 70’s and 80’s?)

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has called on the EU to negotiate directly with Moscow, arguing that diplomacy is the only viable path to ending the Ukraine conflict.

In an interview with the Belgian newspaper L’Echo published on Saturday, De Wever argued that the bloc had failed to force Moscow into retreat through military aid to Kiev or economic pressure alone. He warned that the EU would end up with a “bad agreement” if sidelined from negotiations.

“Since we are not capable of threatening [Russian President Vladimir] Putin by sending weapons to Ukraine, and we cannot choke him economically without the support of the US, there is only one method left: making a deal,” he told the outlet.

“Without a mandate to go and negotiate in Moscow, we are not at the negotiating table where the Americans will push Ukraine to accept a deal. And I can already say that it will be a bad agreement for us,” he added. (He’s really more afraid Zelensky will cut them out of the deal!)

Last year, US President Donald Trump proposed a roadmap to peace, urging Ukraine to cede some territory to Russia. Kiev and its European backers rejected his reported 28-point plan as too favorable to Moscow. Brussels, which has committed around €195 billion to Ukraine since the escalation of the conflict, has vowed to maintain pressure on Russia.

EU representatives have been excluded from the US-brokered talks between Moscow and Kiev in Abu Dhabi and Geneva earlier this year.

De Wever has previously opposed EU proposals to confiscate frozen Russian sovereign assets held in Europe to back a €90 billion loan to Kiev, saying such a step could amount to a “declaration of war”against Moscow. After Axel Springer-owned Politico branded him “Russia’s most valuable asset,” the Belgian PM argued that a “real politician” should not be driven by emotions.

Belgium faces the biggest legal and financial risks, as the bulk of the Russian money – €185 billion ($216 billion) – is held in the Belgium-based clearing house Euroclear.

https://www.rt.com/news/635020-deal-with-russia-belgian-pm/