U.S. President Donald Trump predicted that Iran would pursue negotiations with the United States rather than confront American military force, despite Tehran’s firm warning that its missile arsenal would remain off-limits.
"I can say this, they do want to make a deal," AFP cited Trump telling reporters in the Oval Office.
When asked whether he had set a deadline for Iran to enter talks on its nuclear and missile programmes, he confirmed, "yeah, I have," but declined to provide further details.
"We have a large armada, flotilla, call it whatever you want, heading toward Iran right now," Trump said, referring to a US naval carrier group currently in waters off the Iranian coast.
"Hopefully we’ll make a deal. If we do make a deal, that’s good. If we don’t make a deal, we’ll see what happens," he added.
Trump cited Iran’s apparent decision to halt executions of protesters—after a crackdown in which human rights groups report more than 6,000 deaths—as evidence that Tehran may be willing to negotiate.
Washington’s regional allies are apprehensive that any US strike on Iran could spark instability and economic upheaval. One senior Gulf official with knowledge of discussions in the Trump administration said the United States is maintaining strict secrecy over its plans.
"We hope that whatever happens, it is going to lead to stability. That outcome could be reached by the Iranians doing the right thing, and we hope that happens," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile, the head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. No details of their discussions were released, though Russia has offered to mediate between Washington and Tehran.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on 31 January that the country’s missile and defence capabilities would "never" be on the negotiating table. "Iran is ready to begin negotiations if they take place on an equal footing," he said, adding, "Iran’s defensive and missile capabilities will never be subject to negotiation," and that there were no current plans to meet with US officials.
US news outlet Axios reported this week that Washington officials are insisting any agreement would include a cap on Iran’s long-range missile arsenal, the removal of enriched uranium, and a prohibition on independent enrichment.
Serhan Afacan, director of the Ankara-based Centre for Iranian Studies, IRAM, told AFP that attempting to link a nuclear deal with other issues would likely "be impossible."
He added, "For now, the ballistic missile programme remains a red line, as it sits at the core of Iran’s defence architecture."
Iran has warned that it would retaliate immediately with missile strikes against US bases, ships, and allied countries, particularly Israel.
"We are not limiting the geography of confrontation to the sea alone and have prepared ourselves for broader and more advanced scenarios," said Ali Shamkhani, head of Iran’s Defence Council, on 31 January, according to the Tasnim news agency.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Istanbul with Araghchi, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan accused Israel of pushing for a US attack on Iran and urged Washington to "not allow this to happen."
Iran has blamed the United States and Israel for fuelling protests that began in late December over economic grievances and escalated on 8 and 9 January, describing the unrest as a "terrorist operation" that transformed peaceful demonstrations into riots.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that 6,563 people were killed in the protests, including 6,170 protesters and 124 children, although internet restrictions since 8 January have hindered accurate reporting.
Human rights groups warn that the actual toll is likely much higher, potentially reaching tens of thousands. Iranian authorities report over 3,000 deaths during the unrest, stating that most were security personnel or bystanders killed by "rioters." - January 31, 2026
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