Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has reportedly agreed to negotiate with the United States and reach an agreement, signalling a potential diplomatic opening amid the ongoing hostilities. The claim was made in a report by Al Arabiya, citing Israeli media.
The report comes as US President Donald Trump said there have been talks between Washington and Tehran over the past day that produced what he described as "major points of agreement."
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump said discussions had taken place on Sunday and were expected to continue, raising the prospect that a deal could be reached soon to end the war. He added that his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law and close aide Jared Kushner were involved in the talks with Iranian representatives.
Trump said the United States was "dealing with the man who I believe is the most respected and the leader," while adding that Iran "had some leaders left." However, Iran's Fars news agency cited a source saying there were no direct or indirect communications with the United States, presenting a contradictory account of the diplomatic engagement.
Trump indicated that a resolution could emerge within a short timeframe, saying negotiations had been going on for a long time but had now entered a more serious phase.
"With Iran, we've been negotiating for a long time, and this time, they mean business," Trump said in remarks later in Memphis.
He added that Washington was allowing a five-day window for talks to progress further, suggesting a potential deal could be reached soon. "We're giving it five days, and then we're going to see where that takes us. And I would say at the end of this period, I think it could very well end up being a very good deal for everybody," Trump said.
Trump also backed away from his earlier threat to target Iran's power network, saying strikes on power plants and energy infrastructure would be postponed. The decision followed Iranian threats to attack Israeli power plants and facilities supplying US bases across the Gulf region if Washington targeted Iran's electricity grid.
Trump had previously warned that Iranian power plants would be destroyed if Tehran failed to fully open the Strait of Hormuz to shipping within 48 hours. The deadline was set for Monday evening.
Iranian attacks have effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical transit route that carries nearly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supply. Trump said the Strait would be "opened very soon" if talks succeed and suggested it could be "jointly controlled," although he did not clarify by whom.
The war, launched on February 28 by the United States and Israel, has killed more than 2,000 people and disrupted global markets, according to Reuters. The conflict has driven up fuel costs, heightened inflation concerns, and unsettled the Western defence alliance.
Reuters also reported that the prospect of strikes on Gulf electricity infrastructure has raised fears of disruption to desalination facilities that provide drinking water, adding further volatility to oil markets already shaken by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
