'A Question of When Do I Want to End It': Trump Claims Tehran Wants Deal; Waiting for Midterms

Washington, DC: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (local time) said Iran had sought a deal with Washington but suggested that Tehran was delaying negotiations, adding that he would decide when to end the ongoing confrontation. While returning from his rallies in Texas, addressing reporters, Trump said, “It's a question of when do I want to end it... They've wanted to make a deal, but they like tapping it along. Maybe they're waiting for the election or something -- but that's not gonna help them."

His remarks came as Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei on Wednesday criticised US President Donald Trump over his remarks on the 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), accusing Washington of reneging on its commitments and calling for accountability over what he termed US misconduct.

In a post on X, Baghaei said, “Washington’s contempt for diplomacy is once again laid bare. President Trump’s admission that he never believed in the Islamabad MoU and considered it a waste of time exposes the hollowness of their diplomatic commitments.” "For Iran, this is nothing new. Washington has a long record of reneging on its commitments and treating international obligations as disposable whenever they become inconvenient," he added.

Baghaei also criticised European states and others for their response to Washington, stating, “There is absolutely no justification for European states and other apologists for Washington to continue whitewashing U.S. misconduct and shielding it from accountability.” "Broken commitments cannot be excused, international law cannot be applied selectively, and no amount of political spin can absolve Washington of accountability," the Iranian spokesperson said.

Earlier, speaking at a rally in Lubbock, Texas, on Wednesday (local time), the US President said America did not initiate the war with Iran and accused Tehran of waging a conflict against Washington since 1979. "America did not start the war with Iran. Iran has been waging this war against America since 1979, killing many of our great people. They've killed thousands of our soldiers and wounded so many more," Trump said.

He further criticised previous US leaders over their handling of the issue, saying, “Past leaders should have settled this problem long ago, but they didn't have the courage or intelligence to do it.” Trump also addressed a question about when the war in Iran would end, saying, “Somebody asked me before, 'When will the war in Iran end?' I said, 'Whenever I want it to end.'”

The US President also provided answers to the ongoing issues like the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the reports of the entry of Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro into the US after losing the Brazilian elections against Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. On the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, Trump said his administration was making progress and that a meeting would be arranged soon.

"We're making a lot of progress with Russia-Ukraine. There'll be a meeting set up very soon," Trump said. His statement on the ongoing conflict comes as US First Lady Melania Trump on Tuesday announced that a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine has taken effect beyond Oleshky two days ahead of schedule, with the move aimed at protecting civilians and facilitating the delivery of critical humanitarian aid to the conflict-affected area.

In a post on X, Melania said, “THE CEASEFIRE HAS COMMENCED. The ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia took effect at 4:00 am Moscow time on October 27, 2026. Timing was accelerated two days ahead of schedule to protect the safety of civilians and to facilitate the delivery of critical humanitarian aid. The ceasefire’s geographic area has expanded beyond Oleshky, within the Kherson Region, to provide safe passage for the humanitarian convoys. General Valery Vasilyevich, Joint Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, has confirmed, "

Meanwhile, amidst reports that Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro is to enter the United States following his defeat in Brazil's presidential election, the Brazilian news site Bahia Notícias reported that Washington would grant visas to the senator and his family. Trump was asked by the reporters whether he would approve of Flavio Bolsonaro coming to the United States; Trump responded positively and criticised the election in Brazil.

"I would approve. I think they're fine people. The election was really strange, and I thought it was terrible... It would be okay with me," Trump said. According to CNN, Trump administration officials were aware on Monday (local time) that Bolsonaro had approximately 24 hours to surrender his passport under a Brazilian Supreme Court order and made clear that he would be allowed to enter the United States. 

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