The US and Iran are locked in a standoff over the Strait of Hormuz.
President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites.
Delegations from the U.S. and Iran entered negotiations in June aimed at a war-ending deal based on a memorandum of understanding signed by both countries.
The U.S. and Iran have nonetheless continued to exchange strikes, with the strategic Strait of Hormuz the primary flashpoint.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Monday that the Iranian delegation has made no pleas or requests to continue negotiations and he said Iran rejected an American proposal.
President Donald Trump said Monday that U.S. and Iranian representatives are meeting for renewed peace talks amid a lull in fighting, even though Iran continues to publicly insist it is not currently negotiating with the U.S.
"They want to meet, and we're meeting," Trump said. "We'll see what happens. There's a chance we could make a deal, but without what we did they wouldn't even be talking to us. They requested a meeting through their surrogates and directly, and we're meeting."
Trump also said he is not in a rush to reach a deal with Iran.
“I have plenty of time,” Trump told reporters when asked how much patience he had.
Asked whether he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are on the same page, Trump indicated that they mostly are. Trump said if Iran does not make a deal, the U.S. will "go back to the same thing."
"Yeah, for a little difference, but pretty close,” Trump said. “Yeah. Well, Iran took a beating over the last 14 days, and they asked us very nicely, 'Please stop, let's meet.' And that's where we are right now, let's see what happens. If we don't make a deal, we go back to the same thing.”
-ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart
President Donald Trump told Axios he is prepared to return to “very strong military action” in Iran if talks fail and that he’s not willing to give diplomacy “much time.”
"We are in very deep talks with Iran. If they don't work out, we will go back to very strong military action," Trump said in the interview.
Axios said it asked Trump how long he's willing to give diplomacy. Axios said Trump responded, "Not much time. Either it goes fast or not at all.”
Trump is reported as saying he paused the nearly two-week long-assault on Iran after “all of the people that deal with Iran asked me: ‘Don't fire.’”
-ABC News’ Fritz Farrow
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Defense said Monday that its forces intercepted "a number of drones coming from Iraqi territory."
The drones were targeting oil facilities in the east of the country and around Riyadh, the statement said.
-ABC News' Victoria Beaule
