Donald Trump floated the idea of using a U.S.-brokered trade deal as a catalyst to bring “reason, cohesion, and sanity” to stalled peace efforts between Israel and Iran, even as active conflict continues and nuclear talks with Tehran collapse.
Tensions between Israel and Iran have escalated into open warfare, with Israel launching a major assault on Iranian infrastructure and Tehran retaliating with missile and drone strikes.
The Trump administration has maintained it had no role in the Israeli offensive, while warning Iran against targeting U.S. interests in the region. Trump has simultaneously attempted to position the U.S. as a potential mediator, despite the collapse of the latest scheduled nuclear talks with Iran on Saturday and ongoing Israeli opposition to a ceasefire.
On Sunday, Trump took to Truth Social to call for a peace agreement between Israel and Iran, invoking his past claims of de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. He stated that a deal is possible and that “many calls and meetings” were already underway.
Later, in an interview with ABC News, Trump reiterated that the U.S. was not directly involved in the war but said intervention “could” happen depending on how the conflict evolves. While Israel has asked the U.S. to formally join the war to help dismantle Iran’s nuclear program, White House officials say there are no current plans to do so.
Trump’s proposal was met with skepticism from regional observers and foreign policy experts, who noted the absence of meaningful diplomatic channels between the two countries and Israel’s current disinterest in a ceasefire. Israeli officials confirmed they are still focused on achieving their military goals, particularly the destruction of Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
Meanwhile, the canceled nuclear talks signal a breakdown in U.S.-Iran communication, leaving few visible pathways toward de-escalation.
Originally published on Latin Times
