U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that Washington is continuing discussions with Iran to ease tensions in the Persian Gulf, even as American forces shot down Iranian drones over the Arabian Sea. Speaking at the White House, Trump said talks were underway but declined to reveal their location. He referenced a previous U.S. operation called “Midnight Hammer” and noted that Iran might not want to face a similar situation again.

According to Iranian media, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in West Jerusalem to discuss Iran. Reports cited U.S. officials saying Israel is pressing Washington to launch new strikes on Iran, though Trump currently opposes such action. The president has also warned that if nuclear talks fail, “something bad” could happen, and he recently deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln to the Gulf.

The developments follow Israel’s 12-day assault on Iran in June 2025, which targeted military and nuclear sites. Turkish officials said a planned meeting between Iran’s foreign minister and Trump’s envoys will now take place in Oman instead of Istanbul.