Iran seeking talks as US–Israel strikes intensify, claims Donald Trump

Amid the thunder of escalating conflict, US President Donald Trump declared that Iran is now seeking negotiations after suffering what he described as devastating military setbacks from coordinated American and Israeli strikes targeting Tehran’s missile and drone capabilities.

Speaking at a White House ceremony honouring the 2025 Inter Miami CF Major League Soccer champions, Trump portrayed the campaign as swift and overwhelming, claiming the joint offensive with Israel had already begun to dismantle Iran’s strategic arsenal.

“They're calling, they're saying, ‘How do we make a deal?’” Trump said, suggesting that Tehran was now reaching out for negotiations after enduring heavy blows. “I said you're being a little bit late.”

According to the president, the military operation has progressed “far ahead of schedule”, with American and Israeli forces relentlessly targeting Iranian infrastructure. He claimed missile launch systems were being eliminated within minutes of use, describing a battlefield where retaliation is almost instantaneous.

“As soon as they set off a missile, within four minutes the launcher gets hit,” he said.

Trump further asserted that Iran’s naval strength had been crippled, saying 24 ships had been destroyed within three days. He also claimed that large portions of the country’s air defence network and aviation capability had been wiped out.

“Their anti-aircraft weapons are gone. So they have no air force, they have no air defense,” he said.

The president added that roughly 60 per cent of Iran’s missile systems and 64 per cent of its launch infrastructure had already been dismantled during the campaign.

Yet even as the military pressure intensifies, Trump signalled an opening for political change within Iran. He urged members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, along with Iranian military and police personnel, to abandon the current leadership and lay down their arms.

In an appeal directed at Iranian diplomats stationed abroad, Trump called on them to seek asylum and support efforts to reshape the country’s political future, promising protection for those who cooperate.

“You'll be perfectly safe with total immunity, or you'll face absolutely guaranteed death,” he warned.

Framing the offensive as a step toward broader stability, Trump argued that the operation would ultimately calm tensions across the Middle East and stabilise global markets.

“In the long term, the actions we're taking will dramatically increase the stability of the region and oil prices and stock markets and everything else,” he said.

His remarks come as United States and Israel intensify strikes on Iranian targets, accusing Tehran of backing militant groups and pursuing nuclear weapons — allegations that have pushed the region toward a dangerous crossroads. With the Middle East home to some of the world’s most vital oil shipping routes, the escalating conflict has sent ripples of anxiety through global energy markets and diplomatic circles alike.

With IANS inputs