US-Iran holding 'friendly' talks, says Trump

US President Donald Trump has said that the United States and Iran are engaged in "friendly" talks and that there is a good chance of reaching an agreement to ease tensions between the two countries.

However, he warned that US military operations could resume if the negotiations fail.

Speaking to reporters on Monday (July 27), Trump said, "We're having good discussions. I think there's a very good chance something positive will happen. If it does, we'll return to where we were two days ago. But we'll see what happens. Right now, the talks are very friendly."

The remarks came after Washington suspended its military operations against Iran, while Tehran has also refrained from launching retaliatory attacks.

However, Iran has denied reports that it requested renewed negotiations with the United States.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said messages are still being exchanged between the two sides through intermediaries and that Iran has not abandoned diplomacy. He dismissed claims that Tehran had sought fresh talks as "baseless."

Earlier, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran has followed a policy of "retaliation in response to attacks" since the conflict with the United States began. According to the official, Iran is prepared to suspend its military response as long as Washington refrains from further strikes, adding that this position has already been communicated to the United States through diplomatic channels.

Only days earlier, Iran's Foreign Ministry had said it had no plans to resume peace talks with Washington. Trump's latest remarks have renewed speculation that diplomatic efforts between the two longtime adversaries may be gaining momentum despite continued public differences.