Trump Concedes Iran ‘Seriously Talking To Us’ As Ayatollah Says ‘We Don’t Seek To Attack Any Country’

President Donald Trump made a big admission to Fox News on Saturday. He said Iran is currently talking to US negotiators, and he offered it as a positive sign that attacks on Iran could be averted.

“You could make a negotiated deal that would be satisfactory with no nuclear weapons,” Trump said. “They should do that, but I don’t know that they will. But they are talking to us. Seriously talking to us.”

One significant problem remains: both sides are in complete disagreement as to precisely what can and should be negotiated. Tehran says it is open to resuming talks on nuclear weapons and development, while the Trump administration has started insisting that Iran be made to limit the range and capabilities of its ballistic missiles.

But Iran has shut the door on talks on its ballistic missile arsenal, given this is all it has to wage war in the scenario of enemy attack. And of course, Israel is not being asked to do the same (limit or reduce its missile program).

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has meanwhile warned of what might be next in a significant Sunday speech. He stressed – echoing his junior officials over the last days – that there can be no limited war, but that that a “regional war” will surely erupt if America strikes the Islamic Republic.

“The US should know that if they start a war this time, it would be a regional war,” Khamenei said during the speech commemorating former supreme leader Ruhollah Khomeini’s return to Iran in 1979 after exile. 

Trump “regularly says that he brought ships… The Iranian nation shall not be scared by these things, the Iranian people will not be stirred by these threats,” he continued.

“They seek to occupy Iran and restore their dominance over its resources, oil, politics, security, and international relations, just as during the Pahlavi era. This is the main reason for their hostility, and the rest of their claims, such as human rights, are just empty talk,” the Ayatollah added. 

“Of course, we are not the initiators of war. We do not seek to oppress anyone. We do not seek to attack any country. However, anyone who seeks to attack or cause harm will face a decisive blow.”

Iran’s Foreign Minister responds to U.S. CENTCOM’s statement last night telling Iran’s IRGC to “avoid escalatory behavior at sea” during naval exercises. https://t.co/aBZVCVJo0r

— jeremy scahill (@jeremyscahill) January 31, 2026

Currently the US is building up warships, aircraft, and anti-air defenses in the region, amid widespread reports the White House is weighing a range of military strike options.

This has reportedly even included the potential for raids and special forces operations, according to prior NY Times reporting – but the reality is that Iran is a geographically huge country – with serious anti-air defense systems and radar – and any US forces on the ground could prove disastrous.