President Donald Trump told reporters April 30, 2026, that Iran was eager for negotiations to end hostilities, even as evidence suggested talks remained stalled.
Trump pointed to severe degradation of Iranian military assets, repeating that the country’s navy and air force were gone, drone production was down roughly 82 percent, and missile facilities nearly 90 percent destroyed. “Iran is dying to make a deal. I can only tell you that,” he said, while stressing that Iran could not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.
The emphasis on Iran desperately seeking an agreement contrasted with recent developments. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, issued a defiant statement the same day asserting Iran’s determination to control the Strait of Hormuz and retain its nuclear capabilities. The message rejected a significant U.S. role in the Persian Gulf region and proposed new legal frameworks for managing the strategic waterway.
Negotiations have hit clear obstacles. Iran recently floated a proposal to reopen the strait in exchange for a toll on tankers, an idea quickly dismissed by the Trump administration. Dual blockades have disrupted global oil flows, driving up energy prices, while Iran’s economy has suffered sharply with its currency hitting new lows.
The supreme leader’s rare public message, released on Iran’s National Day of the Persian Gulf, framed the conflict in historic terms of resisting foreign influence. It underscored Tehran’s unwillingness to relinquish key assets, including nuclear and missile programs, directly clashing with U.S. demands.
Trump has maintained that the pressure from U.S. and Israeli operations has left Iran in a weakened position and eager to reach terms, despite the public signals from Tehran indicating continued resistance.