Factual. Independent. Impartial.
Support AAP with a free or paid subscription

Trump says United States and Iran 'having good talks'

US President Donald Trump has told reporters "there's a good chance that something could happen". (AP PHOTO)

US President Donald Trump says the United States is having "good talks" with Iran and there is a chance of a deal over their conflict but warns US strikes could resume if the negotiations fail to deliver. 

The US abruptly suspended a two-week campaign of air strikes against Iran on ‌Saturday in ‌the president's latest ⁠strategic U-turn in the five-month-old conflict.

"We're talking right now," Trump ​told reporters aboard Air Force One. 

"We're having good talks ... I think there's a good chance that something could happen, and if it does, good, if it doesn't, we go back to doing what we were doing two days ago."

MIssiles on display in Tehran
Iranian officials say the country's forces will pause their own attacks if the US does not strike. (EPA PHOTO)

In contrast to the president's remarks, Iran appeared to quickly test the ⁠pause in the US military campaign, with ‌Saudi Arabia, ​Jordan and Iraq reporting drone attacks on Monday.

Saudi Arabia said it shot down drones aimed ​at petroleum targets, ‌including in the capital Riyadh.

It said the drones had been launched from Iraq by ​Iran-aligned armed groups and it reserved the right to respond.

Separately, Iran's Houthi allies in Yemen said they had targeted the 1200km East-West Pipeline carrying oil to Saudi Arabia's main ​Red ​Sea port of Yanbu, in retaliation ​for what they said were Saudi drone incursions ‌into Yemeni airspace.

Iran has said it is not seeking to resume peace talks with the US although it would pause its own attacks for as long as Trump's self-imposed ceasefire continues.

Iran also said it was still in control of the contested Strait of Hormuz, the key waterway ​for global energy supplies which the US has demanded vessels be able to pass through ​freely.

License this article

Sign up to read this article for free
Choose between a free or paid subscription to AAP News
Start reading
Already a member? Sign in here
Top stories on AAP right now