US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said Iran had made a significant oil- and gas-related concession, describing it as a “very big present”, even as negotiations to end the ongoing conflict continue.Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump did not disclose details but suggested the move could be linked to the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy transit route that has been disrupted during the conflict.
“They gave us a present and the present arrived today, and it was a very big present, worth a tremendous amount of money,” he said, adding, “It wasn’t nuclear, it was oil-and gas-related, and it was a very nice thing they did.”Trump indicated the development as a positive signal in ongoing diplomacy, saying the US was “talking to the right people” in Iran and that “they want to reach a deal very badly.” He added, “We’re in negotiations right now,” without offering specifics.Trump described the concession as a “very significant prize” tied to energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz. The comments came ahead of a deadline he set for Iran to reopen the strategic waterway, while also confirming that planned strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure had been paused for five days following “productive discussions.”
Despite these remarks, Iran has maintained that no talks have taken place.Trump said multiple senior officials were involved in the negotiations, including vice president JD Vance, secretary of state Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner. He also said he was personally engaged in the process.On trust, Trump remarked, “I don’t trust anybody,” but reiterated optimism, adding, “They’re going to make a deal. They did something yesterday that was amazing, actually.”
He also suggested divisions within his administration over the pace of diplomacy, saying defence secretary Pete Hegseth “didn’t want it to be settled,” while adding that military officials were more focused on “winning this thing.” Hegseth, however, asserted continued military pressure, saying, “We negotiate with bombs,” and that the US would maintain its operations to ensure Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons.Even as talks progress, the US has continued deploying additional forces to the region, including Marines and naval assets, while strikes persisted across parts of the Middle East on Tuesday.
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Pakistan has offered to host potential talks between Washington and Tehran, with officials indicating that multiple proposals are under consideration and that an in-person meeting could take place soon, though no final decision has been made. Turkey and Egypt are also said to be facilitating communication between the two sides.Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had discussed developments with Trump and sees an opportunity for an agreement aligned with military objectives, while affirming that Israeli operations against Iran and allied groups would continue.The White House has maintained that discussions are ongoing but sensitive. “These are sensitive diplomatic discussions, and the United States will not negotiate through the press,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, adding that the situation remains fluid.
