Russia offers to mediate as Washington-Tehran tensions escalate

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Iran is willing to negotiate with Washington and would prefer making a deal over facing possible military action.

“I can say this: they do want to make a deal,” Trump told reporters at the White House.

His remarks came as Iran insisted that its missile and defence capabilities would “never” be part of any negotiations.

Trump said he has given Iran a deadline to begin talks on its nuclear and missile programmes, though he did not disclose the timeline. He also pointed to rising military pressure, saying the US has deployed a major naval force to the region.

“We have a large armada, flotilla, call it whatever you want, heading toward Iran right now,” Trump said, referring to a US aircraft carrier group in nearby waters.

“Hopefully we’ll make a deal. If we do, that’s good. If we don’t, we’ll see what happens,” he added.

Iran-Russia Talks

Amid escalating tensions, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Friday. While details of their talks were not disclosed, Russia has offered to mediate between Tehran and Washington, according to AFP.

New US Sanctions

The Trump administration also announced fresh sanctions against Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, accusing him of overseeing the repression of nationwide protests.

US officials said Momeni was responsible for security forces linked to the deaths of thousands of protesters, a claim Tehran has denied.

Rising Tensions

Relations between Washington and Tehran have been strained by Iran’s internal unrest and the government’s response to protests. Tensions escalated further after Trump threatened military action and ordered a US aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East.

What began as pressure over Iran’s handling of protests has expanded into a broader effort by the Trump administration to push for a new nuclear agreement.

Trump has said his goal is to secure a deal that curbs Iran’s nuclear ambitions while preventing further instability in the region.