U.S. president Donald Trump said Iran is “seriously talking” with the United States and expressed hope that negotiations could lead to an outcome acceptable to Washington.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday, Donald Trump said discussions with Iran were under way but stopped short of confirming whether a final decision had been made.

“I hope they negotiate something that’s acceptable,” Trump said. “But they are talking to us, seriously talking to us.”

Trump added that the U.S. has “very big, powerful ships” heading toward the region, while acknowledging uncertainty over whether a negotiated settlement could be reached.

“Some people think they will make a negotiated deal that would be satisfactory with no nuclear weapons, and some people don’t,” he said.

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Iranian officials have also been in contact with U.S. allies in the Middle East as part of what Qatar described as efforts to de-escalate regional tensions. Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met senior Iranian official Ali Larijani in Tehran on Saturday to discuss diplomatic avenues.

Masoud Pezeshkian said war would harm both countries and the wider region.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has never sought, and in no way seeks, war,” Pezeshkian said during a phone call with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, adding that conflict would not be in the interests of Iran, the United States or the Middle East.

The diplomatic signals come against the backdrop of weeks of nationwide protests in Iran, sparked by soaring inflation and rising living costs. Demonstrations began in late December and were followed by a sweeping security crackdown.

The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency says more than 6,700 people have been killed since the protests began, including thousands of demonstrators. Other rights groups report similarly high figures. Iranian authorities have not confirmed those numbers.

Trump has previously urged Iranians to continue protesting and has accused Tehran of killing anti-government demonstrators, comments that have further strained relations.

Despite the sharp rhetoric, both sides have indicated that diplomacy remains possible, as regional and international actors seek to prevent the crisis from tipping into open conflict.

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