US President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran is keen to negotiate over the ongoing conflict, though he suggested Tehran is not yet ready to formally enter diplomatic talks.

Speaking to reporters aboard the presidential aircraft Air Force One, Trump said Washington had been communicating with Iranian officials but a breakthrough had not yet been reached.

“We’re talking to them but I don’t think they’re ready, but they’re getting pretty close,” Trump said, reiterating his belief that Iran strongly wants a deal.

However, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected the claim, stating that Tehran had “never asked for a ceasefire” and had not sought negotiations either.

Asked whether he was ready to declare victory over Iran, Trump said there was no reason to do so at the moment.

He claimed the United States had inflicted significant damage and argued that if the conflict stopped immediately, it could take Iran up to a decade to rebuild.

Trump also alleged that several reports circulating online were fabricated using artificial intelligence.

He claimed that images showing thousands of people gathering in support of Mojtaba Khamenei, along with reports about “kamikaze boats” and attacks on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, were AI-generated, though he did not present evidence to support the claims.

On relations with Israel, Trump dismissed suggestions of disagreements with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He said the two leaders had not argued and described their relationship as “extraordinary.”

Trump also predicted that global oil prices would drop sharply once the conflict ends, adding that he believes the war will conclude relatively soon.

With inputs from BBC