U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that new negotiations with the Islamic Republic will begin Monday afternoon

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said the talks would commence Monday afternoon, indicating that diplomacy had once again taken precedence over military escalation.

"We're talking to them in the form of a negotiation. It begins tomorrow afternoon," Trump said, adding that Iranian officials were aware of the scale of the military preparations because they "saw it forming."

Earlier, in a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed that both Iran and several U.S. allies in the Middle East had requested that Washington refrain from launching attacks, saying the broad outlines of an agreement had already been reached.

While Tehran has not officially commented on Trump's latest remarks, Iranian officials have consistently maintained that the country's peaceful nuclear program and national sovereignty are not open to coercion or military pressure. The Islamic Republic has repeatedly stated that meaningful dialogue can only proceed on the basis of mutual respect and adherence to international law, rejecting threats as a means of diplomacy.

Trump also acknowledged that key regional actors, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as well as officials from the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, urged Washington to avoid military action in favor of continued negotiations.

According to the U.S. president, discussions are expected to address security in the Strait of Hormuz alongside the long-running nuclear issue.

"There’s a deal on Hormuz, and there will be a deal on the nuclear," Trump said, expressing optimism about the diplomatic process while declining to set a deadline for reaching an agreement.

The latest announcement comes after weeks of heightened regional tensions and repeated U.S. threats of military action against Iran. Tehran has consistently affirmed that it seeks regional stability while warning that any act of aggression against the Islamic Republic would be met with a firm and lawful response in accordance with its right to self-defense.

Analysts say the decision to return to negotiations underscores the growing recognition that dialogue, rather than military confrontation, remains the only viable path toward resolving longstanding disputes and preserving stability in the region. (ILKHA)