US-Iran Peace Talks to Resume Monday After a Month of Conflict

In a surprise move, President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that negotiations with Iran will resume on Monday, marking a significant development in the ongoing conflict between the two nations.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Washington, Trump expressed his optimism about the talks, saying that Iran wants to ‘make a deal’ and that the negotiations will focus on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy route that has been a major point of contention between the two sides.

‘We’ll see if it’s true,’ Trump said. ‘I’d love to do that. Save a lot of lives. Save a lot of unnecessary power, to be honest with you.’

Background on the Conflict

The conflict between the US and Iran began in February when the US and Israel attacked Iran’s remaining nuclear capabilities, leading to a five-month-long war. The war has resulted in significant losses on both sides, with Iran laying military claims to the vital Strait of Hormuz.

An April cease-fire created conditions for a memorandum of understanding to be signed in mid-June, but disagreements over the strait’s control led to a resumption in fighting last month.

Trump’s announcement comes after a weekend at his Bedminster, N.J., golf club, where he reportedly received a call from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman warning him about the unpredictable consequences of a US attack on Iran.

Trump said that the three allies – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar – believe ‘a deal is imminent’ and that they have asked him to hold off on a massive attack on Iran.

What to Expect from the Negotiations

The negotiations will focus on the Strait of Hormuz, with the US seeking to restore freedom of navigation through the strait and Iran trying to maintain some form of control over commercial vessels that pass through it.

According to the nonpartisan Institute for the Study of War, Iranian negotiators may be willing to make ‘limited compromises’ with the US over Tehran’s control of the strait, though what those concessions may be are unclear.

Trump has long sought a deal with Iran to constrain its nuclear program, and his administration has imposed sanctions on Tehran to force it to the negotiating table.

Monday’s negotiations will be the first publicly acknowledged since early last month, and it remains to be seen whether the talks will yield a breakthrough in the conflict.

Trump’s Previous Efforts to Make a Deal with Iran

Trump has repeatedly sought a deal with Iran to constrain its nuclear program, going back to his first administration when he unilaterally pulled the US from an Obama-era multinational accord in 2018.

Since then, Trump has imposed sanctions on Tehran and sought to negotiate a new deal that would limit Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

However, the talks have been stalled for months, with disagreements over the strait’s control and other issues preventing a breakthrough.