Trump Says Iran Talks Moving at Rapid Pace, Tehran Warns They're Suspended
President Donald Trump said Monday that U.S. talks with Iran are continuing "at a rapid pace," even as Tehran signaled it had suspended negotiations.
The conflicting accounts underscore rising uncertainty around efforts to de-escalate the broader Middle East conflict. The diplomatic rift could complicate ceasefire efforts tied to Israel's ongoing offensive in Lebanon and raises questions about whether negotiations will stall or collapse.
Iranian state-linked media reported earlier that talks were halted in protest over Israeli military action in Lebanon, while Trump said Washington had not been formally notified.
Trump's remarks came in a series of posts on Truth Social, where he also claimed Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group had agreed to halt hostilities following separate contacts. He described a "very productive" call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and said messages relayed through intermediaries secured a commitment from Hezbollah to stop firing.
"I had a very productive call with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu … there will be no Troops going to Beirut," Trump wrote, adding that forces already en route had been turned back. He also said Hezbollah had agreed "that all shooting will stop - That Israel will not attack them, and they will not attack Israel."
Neither Israel nor Hezbollah immediately confirmed Trump's account, which emerged as fighting continued across the Israel-Lebanon border. The Israeli government has ordered strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs following what it says were repeated violations of a ceasefire, while Hezbollah has launched rockets into northern Israel.
The escalation in Lebanon has become a central sticking point in U.S.-Iran diplomacy, with Tehran insisting that any broader ceasefire agreement must include a halt to hostilities involving its regional allies. Iranian officials have accused the United States of bearing responsibility for violations of the truce, pointing to Israel's military operations as a breach of conditions tied to ongoing negotiations.
Trump, however, signaled he was not overly concerned about reports that talks had been paused.
"If they don't want to talk, that's OK with me," Trump told NBC News. "I think it's fine. I don't particularly want to talk either. We talk too much. It's an appropriate thing to say, because they're better negotiators than they are fighters," he said. "But they haven't informed us of that"
The back-and-forth highlights the fragile state of diplomacy as Washington and Tehran attempt to extend a temporary ceasefire and lay the groundwork for a broader agreement. Officials have pointed to unresolved issues, including regional security guarantees and the scope of any deal, as major obstacles.
For now, the White House maintains that talks remain on track, even as Tehran's actions signal growing frustration with the trajectory of the conflict.
This is a breaking news article. Updates to follow.
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This story was originally published June 1, 2026 at 2:34 PM.