Trump wants a deal with Iran but success of talks unlikely, Israeli officials say

U.S. President Donald Trump signals potential talks with Iran to end Middle East hostilities, though skepticism remains over Iran's willingness to meet U.S. demands, including limits on its nuclear and missile programs. Israeli officials note the complexities amid ongoing tensions.

Jerusalem bureau/Reuters

March 24, 2026

Trump wants a deal with Iran but success of talks unlikely, Israeli officials say

U.S. President Donald Trump waves as he returns to the White House, after Israel and the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 1, 2026.

Nathan Howard/Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump appears to be determined to reach a deal with Iran aimed at ending hostilities in the Middle East, three senior Israeli officials said on Tuesday.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that they viewed it is unlikely that Iran would agree to U.S. demands in any new round of negotiations, which broke down on February 28 with the launch of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

Those U.S. demands were likely to include curbs on Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

Trump wrote on social media on Monday that the U.S. and Iran had held "very good and productive" conversations about a "complete and total resolution of hostilities in the Middle East".

Iran said after Trump's post that no negotiations had taken place.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Trump believed there was a possibility of "leveraging the mighty achievements obtained by the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) and the U.S. military, in order to realize the goals of the war in a deal - a deal that will preserve our vital interests."

-Jerusalem bureau/Reuters