Trump says Iran war talks taking place during lull in strikes

What the report says

BBC World News reported that US President Donald Trump said negotiations over the war with Iran were under way during a pause in strikes, while Tehran denied that direct talks were happening. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump described the discussions as friendly and said he believed there was a meaningful possibility of progress, but warned the United States could resume its prior military actions if diplomacy failed.

According to the BBC, the lull had reached a third consecutive day without exchanges of strikes. Trump said he had paused US attacks on Friday after mediating countries asked Washington to allow more time for talks, and Iran had also stopped its attacks. The pause follows almost two weeks of daily US strikes and retaliatory exchanges that, the report said, weakened a June ceasefire arrangement.

The BBC said US military action had been described by Washington as aimed at reducing Iran’s capacity to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil transit route. Oil prices fell sharply on Monday, dropping more than 9% at one point to $87.59 a barrel, amid hopes that the conflict might ease.

Trump also rejected reports that US ammunition stocks were running low after months of fighting, saying the country had substantial supplies while still wanting more production. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly similarly said the military had enough munitions to meet Trump’s strategic aims and said defence contractors had been urged to keep increasing output. The conflict has drawn in US forces, Iran, Israel and Gulf-region assets, making any sustained de-escalation significant for regional security and energy markets.