Florida [US], March 23 (ANI): US President Donald Trump on Monday revealed that the United States is currently engaged in high-level discussions with a “top person” within the Iranian leadership in an effort to secure a resolution to the ongoing conflict.
Speaking to reporters in Florida, the president clarified that these negotiations do not involve the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. When asked about the identity of the interlocutor, Trump described the individual as “a top person,” while outlining the current state of the Iranian leadership following recent military operations.
“Don’t forget: We’ve wiped out the leadership, phase one, phase two, and largely phase three. But we’re dealing with a man who I believe is the most respected and the leader. It’s a little tough; they’ve wiped out, we’ve wiped out everybody,” Trump said.
The president confirmed that his envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, have been central to these talks, though the specific Iranian official remains unidentified.
Addressing the absence of the Supreme Leader from the process, Trump stated, “No, not the Supreme Leader,” adding that “we have not heard from the son. Every once in a while you’ll see a statement made, but we don’t know if he’s living.”
Expressing a lack of recognition for the new cleric’s authority, he added, “I don’t consider him really the leader.”
Parallel to these diplomatic efforts, Trump addressed the easing of sanctions on certain Iranian oil stockpiles, characterizing the move as a strategic necessity for global energy markets rather than a military concession.
“I just want to have as much oil in the system as possible,” he said, dismissing concerns that the move would impact the battlefield.
“Any small amount of money that Iran gets won’t have any difference in this war. But I want to have the system be lubricated,” the president added, suggesting that “it’s very hard, very hard for them to get” any substantial revenue from the oil under current conditions.
Despite the focus on de-escalation, Trump indicated that he would still pursue USD 200 billion in Pentagon funding, citing the volatile nature of global politics.
“It’s nice to have, it’s always nice to have, it’s a very inflamed world,” he said, while claiming that “largely the Democrats inflame it.”
Reports indicate that the White House may formally request these funds from Congress in the coming weeks, though the proposal faces significant hurdles among Republican leaders seeking more comprehensive details before committing to additional war funding.
Earlier on Monday, the president struck an optimistic tone on social media, noting that both nations “have had, over the last two days, very good and productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East.”
He confirmed that “major points of agreement” had been reached during late-night sessions involving his top envoys.
Reflecting on the progress of the talks, which he claimed were initiated by Tehran, Trump said, “They went, I would say, perfectly.”
He suggested that if the momentum continues, “it’ll end that problem, that conflict, and I think it’ll end it very, very substantially.”
The president indicated that a deal is highly desired by both sides, with further telephonic discussions scheduled for Monday, followed by a face-to-face meeting “very, very soon.”
Outlining a critical five-day window for negotiations, Trump said, “We’re doing a five-day period. We’ll see how that goes. If it goes well, we’re going to end up settling this. Otherwise, we just keep bombing our little hearts out.”
Any final agreement, he emphasized, would hinge on strict nuclear nonproliferation, stating, “We want to see no nuclear bomb, no nuclear weapon.”
He also noted that the United States intends to take control of Iran’s enriched materials, referring to it as “the nuclear dust,” and asserting, “We’re going to want that. And I think we’re going to get that. We’ve agreed to that.” (ANI)
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