Iran keeps 'begging' for a deal, Trump says; 100 days later, it has not signed one
Since US declared ceasefire with Iran on 7 April, US President Donald Trump has stated, posted, and broadcast at least 37 separate times that a
Since US declared ceasefire with Iran on 7 April, US President Donald Trump has stated, posted, and broadcast at least 37 separate times that a peace and nuclear agreement with Tehran was close, agreed in principle, or just days away from being signed. Not one of those predictions has come true. The tally stretches back to 23 March, less than a month into the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran that began on 28 February, and runs through statements made as recently as this past weekend and into Monday, when Trump told a tele-rally for Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina that "total victory" was a fortnight away. Analysts watching the conflict say the gap between the president's declarations and events on the ground reflects a war that has quietly revealed the limits of American military power. Thirty-seven predictions, zero deals: Trump's Iran claims since March The pattern established itself within days of the conflict's opening phase. On 23 March, Trump was telling reporters outside Air Force One that the two governments had reached "major points of agreement, I would say — almost all points of agreement." Iranian officials flatly denied that any negotiations were taking place. The following day, a second fixture of Trump's rhetoric took shape: the characterisation of Iran as desperate for a settlement. "I think we're going to end it," he told reporters on 24 March. "I can't tell you for sure." By 25 March, Iran wanted to "make a deal so badly." At a Cabinet meeting the next day, it was "begging to make a deal." By 29 March, a reporter asked Trump directly whether he expected to conclude an agreement within the coming week. "I do see a deal in Iran, yeah," he said. From 'begging to make a deal' to 'willing to give us everything': The full timeline The ceasefire announcement on 7 April brought the most expansive set of assurances yet.
Trump posted on social media that the parties were "very far along" and needed only two weeks "for the Agreement to be finalized and consummated," adding that "it is an Honor to have this Longterm problem close to resolution." Eight days later, on 15 April, he told Fox Business: "I think it's close to over, I view it as very close to over." He added: “We'll see what happens. I think they want to make a deal very badly.” Also Read | Iran and Israel pause strikes after fresh exchange of fire The tempo of predictions peaked on 16 and 17 April. "It's looking very good that we're going to make a deal with Iran, and it's going to be a good deal," Trump told reporters on the 16th. Over three separate appearances on 17 April alone, he said Iran had "agreed to everything," that "I think we will get a deal in the next day or two," and that "I don't think there's too many significant differences." On 20 April, he predicted on Truth Social that "it will all happen, relatively quickly!" No deal came. By 30 April, Iran was still "dying to make a deal." On 1 May, Trump offered reporters a timeline: "When the war ends, which shouldn't be too long…" On 18 May, he announced a pause on military strikes lasting "two or three days," citing regional allies who believed they were "getting very close to making a deal." He briefly appeared to acknowledge the record: "We've had periods of time where we had — we thought pretty much getting close to making a deal and it didn't work out," he said, before adding: "But this is a little bit different." The following day, at a congressional picnic, he said: “We're gonna end that war very quickly.” By 23 May, he was making the rounds again.
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