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U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Iran does not want to be attacked by the United States, suggesting Tehran is now open to renewed negotiations.
"They don't want us to hit them," Trump said at the 74th annual National Prayer Breakfast. "They're negotiating," he added.
The comments came a day before Iran and the U.S. were set to resume indirect talks in Muscat, the first such meeting since U.S-backed Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites in June.
In his remarks, Trump also confirmed that a major U.S. naval fleet is heading toward Iran. "You know, we have a big fleet going over to Iran," he said, signaling military readiness as indirect talks are poised to begin.
Washington and Tehran both confirmed late Wednesday that indirect talks would proceed on Friday following delays over logistics and format. The negotiations will be led by Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, with Oman serving as mediator.
The discussions are expected to focus on Iran’s nuclear program and broader regional issues, offering a possible return to diplomacy after months of gridlock and rising tensions.
The talks follow a wave of domestic unrest in Iran, with widespread protests against the clerical leadership erupting last month.
U.S-based The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said the death toll from protests across Iran has risen to 6,563, while tens of thousands of people were detained during the unrest.
Iranian authorities have accused the U.S. and Israel of stoking and fueling unrest during the protests, saying foreign interference helped intensify violence and division across the country.
In earlier statements, Trump also warned Iran over the rising death toll, threatening airstrikes if the killings of protesters continued.
While countries around the world called for de‑escalation and a return to nuclear talks, Türkiye said it supports Iran’s stability and opposes any foreign intervention.
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