Donald Trump says Iran wants deal, hails economy

US President Donald Trump struck a note of confidence and triumph on Friday, suggesting that Iran is eager to strike a deal with Washington even as he spoke of what he described as momentum in talks involving Iran, Russia and Ukraine, alongside sweeping claims of economic revival and restored security at home.

“Iran looks like it wants to make a deal very badly,” Trump said, projecting optimism as he addressed reporters and pointed to what he called “very, very good talks” on multiple geopolitical fronts. Discussions with Russia and Ukraine, he said, had opened the door to possible movement in a conflict that has gripped Eastern Europe. “Something could be happening,” he added, hinting at diplomatic stirrings without offering specifics.

Trump said engagement with Tehran was also progressing, stressing that any agreement would depart from past frameworks. “We have to see what that deal is,” he said, adding, “It’ll be different than last time.” At the same time, he underscored a show of force in the region, saying the US military was reinforcing its presence. “We have a big armada, a big fleet heading in that direction,” he said, signalling resolve alongside diplomacy.

Turning from geopolitics to the domestic front, Trump painted a picture of economic resurgence. He boasted of historic market highs, declaring that the Dow Jones Industrial Average had crossed the once-unthinkable 50,000 mark well ahead of schedule. “Most people thought that was not possible to do so quickly,” he said. “We did it in the first year — about three years ahead of schedule.”

The president also claimed that prices were falling across the board, singling out energy and everyday essentials. Recounting a recent visit to Iowa, he cited gasoline prices hovering between $1.85 and $1.99 a gallon. “Energy is down. Groceries are down,” Trump said, arguing that affordability had returned under his watch and accusing Democrats of having fuelled earlier price rises. “We’ve broken the Biden disaster, the mess that I inherited,” he said.

On border security, Trump asserted that enforcement had reached unprecedented levels, describing the southern border as “extremely secure” and claiming months without illegal crossings. He also pointed to what he said were historic declines in crime, calling it the lowest level in more than a century.

Asked about a social media post that was later deleted, Trump said he had only reviewed part of it and that it had been taken down once concerns were raised. Rejecting calls to apologise, he insisted, “No, I didn’t make a mistake.”

Returning to Iran, Trump said talks would continue in the coming days, reiterating his belief that Tehran was keen to reach an agreement. “They want to make a deal, as they should,” he said, warning vaguely of consequences should diplomacy fail, without elaborating further. “We have plenty of time,” he added.

The remarks once again reflected Trump’s trademark fusion of foreign policy, markets and domestic prices into a single narrative of performance, even as talks with Iran — and with Russia and Ukraine — continue to draw close international scrutiny amid ongoing conflict and longstanding tensions in the Middle East.

With IANS inputs