U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he hopes Washington and Tehran can reach an agreement, responding to warnings from Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that any U.S. strike on Iran would ignite a wider regional war.

"Hopefully we'll make a deal," Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. "If we don't make a deal, then we'll find out whether or not he was right," he added, referring to Khamenei's warning.

Trump dismissed the Iranian leader's remarks as predictable, saying, "Why wouldn't he say that? Of course he is going to say that." He also emphasized the scale of the U.S. military presence in the Middle East, saying that Washington has deployed "the biggest, most powerful ships in the world" in waters close to Iran.

Trump's comments came as the United States continues to step up pressure on Iran, including the deployment of multiple naval assets in the region, raising concerns about a potential military escalation.

Araghchi says Iran open to 'fair and just' talks

Earlier the same day, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran remains confident that a nuclear agreement with the United States is achievable, despite deep-seated mistrust toward Washington.

In an interview with CNN, Araghchi said Iran is open to "fair and just" negotiations, adding that indirect exchanges of messages between Tehran and Washington, facilitated by friendly regional countries, have been "fruitful."

"Unfortunately, we have lost our trust in the U.S. as a negotiating partner," Araghchi said, citing Washington's unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and subsequent U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran as key reasons. Still, he stressed that the substance of negotiations matters more than whether talks are direct or indirect.

Araghchi reiterated that Iran fully agrees with Trump's stated opposition to nuclear weapons and is prepared to guarantee that its nuclear program will remain peaceful. In return, he said, Tehran expects the lifting of long-standing sanctions and respect for Iran's right to continue uranium enrichment for peaceful purposes under international frameworks.

Araghchi also warned that certain actors and countries are attempting to drag the United States into a wider conflict for their own interests. He cautioned against expanding negotiations to issues such as Iran's missile program or its support for regional resistance groups, arguing that the focus should remain squarely on the nuclear file.

"Let's not talk about impossible things," he said, urging both sides not to miss what he called a narrow window for a fair and equitable deal.

At the same time, Araghchi made clear that Iran is prepared for any military scenario. He warned that any U.S. strike would be met with a response "more harsh and resolute" than during last year's 12-day conflict with Israel, adding that such a war would likely spiral beyond Iran and become "a disaster for everybody," with U.S. bases across the region among potential targets.

White House officials said Trump has not made a final decision on whether to launch military strikes against Iran and remains open to a diplomatic solution. 

At the same time, U.S. officials acknowledged uncertainty over whether Iran's supreme leader would authorize his diplomatic team to conclude an agreement acceptable to Washington. 

Regional mediation

China Media Group (CMG) learned on Sunday from U.S. sources that a senior U.S. official said the Trump administration has conveyed to Iran through multiple channels that it is ready to hold talks and negotiate an agreement.

Thus, regional mediation efforts appear to be gaining momentum. According to sources familiar with the matter, Türkiye, Egypt and Qatar are working to arrange a meeting in Ankara between the U.S. president's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and senior Iranian officials. One official involved in the coordination said, "Things are moving forward, and we are doing our utmost."

The three countries previously cooperated with the Trump administration to help broker a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and are now seeking to prevent a broader regional war by facilitating dialogue between Washington and Tehran. 

Behind the scenes, military coordination also appears to be intensifying. According to a CMG source, Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir held intensive talks with senior U.S. officials in Washington over the weekend. Discussions reportedly focused on the possibility of military strikes against Iran and tactical coordination between the two allies.

"We would put 75% odds in the coming days to weeks there will be some sort of U.S. attack on Iran," Bob McNally, Rapidan Energy Group founder and former White House energy advisor, told CNBC last Thursday.

The current standoff is rooted in the collapse of the Iran nuclear deal. In 2018, the United States unilaterally withdrew from the agreement and reimposed sweeping sanctions on Iran. Beginning in April 2025, Iran and the United States held five rounds of indirect talks on reviving the nuclear deal and lifting sanctions. A sixth round, scheduled for June 15, was canceled after Israel launched a surprise strike on Iran.

Read more: Timeline: Escalating U.S.-Iran tensions since 2015

During the ensuing 12-day direct conflict between Israel and Iran from June 13 to 24, 2025, the United States bombed Iranian nuclear facilities, effectively halting negotiations. Since then, diplomatic efforts have remained frozen, even as both sides signal – publicly at least – that a deal remains preferable to war.