![US President Donald Trump waves as he arrives aboard Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Thursday. [AP]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/07/09/news-p.v1.20260709.1d8916bdbb174d1fb1298860368d3a4a_P1.jpg)
Stay informed on Trump and global affairs with The Herald Business international desk's daily newsletter and series, delivering the key issues in under a minute.
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Iran had called him moments earlier and that Tehran "desperately wants a deal," making the claim after two consecutive days of military exchanges between the United States and Iran over control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump made the remarks to reporters aboard Air Force One as he returned to Washington following the NATO summit, but added that he was unsure whether negotiations with Iran were worth pursuing. "I don't know if they'll follow through on any deal," he said.
When asked why Iran had attacked merchant ships even as it sought negotiations, Trump lashed out, calling it "a crazy thing to do."
It has not been confirmed whether Iran actually contacted the US side to keep negotiations alive, as Trump claimed.
Germany's DPA news agency noted that Trump has repeatedly cited conversations and phone calls that the other party later denied in whole or in part.
The United States launched airstrikes over two days targeting key facilities along Iran's southern coast, saying Iran had attacked merchant vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes began Wednesday.
Iran retaliated by striking major US military facilities in Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait.
yckim6452@heraldcorp.com
