Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli drone strikes town of Harouf, Nabatieh district.
Factions' statement: The attendees agreed to support and continue implementing the ceasefire agreement measures, including the withdrawal of the occupation and lifting the siege.
Factions' statement: Calling for an end to all forms of torture and violations against prisoners in occupation prisons and the necessity of obligating the occupation to do so.
Statement: The current moment is crucial, making the meeting a true turning point toward national unity in defense of our people and their right to life, dignity, and freedom.
Factions' statement: Call for an urgent meeting of all Palestinian forces and factions to agree on a national strategy.
Factions' statement: Continuing joint work to unify visions and positions to confront the challenges facing the Palestinian cause.
Statement of the factions: Emphasis on the unity of the Palestinian political system and the independent national decision.
Statement: Approval to establish an international committee to oversee the financing and implementation of the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
Statement: The committee is responsible for managing life and services in cooperation with Arab brothers and international institutions, based on transparency and accountability.
Resistance factions' statement: Agreement to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a temporary Palestinian committee of independent technocrats.

Trump says open to meeting with Iran's Sayyed Khamenei or president

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Time
  • 25 Apr 2025 19:22
6 Min Read

In an interview for Time magazine, the US president covers a myriad of topics, predicting that Saudi Arabia would join the normalization deals.

Listen
  • x
  • Trump interview
    US President Donald Trump speaks to the press as he departs from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 25, 2025, en route to Joint Base Andrews (AFP)

US President Donald Trump stated this week that his administration is engaged in negotiations with China to reach a tariff agreement and claimed that Chinese President Xi Jinping had called him, Time magazine reported.

Beijing, however, has challenged Washington’s characterization of the ongoing talks.

In an interview for Time conducted on Tuesday and published Friday, Trump did not specify when Xi allegedly called or the details of their conversation, only saying he himself would not initiate contact.

"He's called. And I don't think that's a sign of weakness on his behalf," Trump indicated.

Prior to their publication, the Chinese Foreign Ministry had urged Washington to stop “misleading the public” about the status of bilateral tariff discussions — a sentiment echoed by the Chinese Embassy in Washington.

During the interview, Trump claimed to have made 200 tariff deals and said he expected the negotiations to conclude within three or four weeks, likening the US to a department store where he determines the pricing. He provided no specifics about the purported deals.

Asked whether it would be a victory if tariffs remained as high as 50% a year from now, Trump responded, “Total victory”.

"We're meeting with China. We're doing fine with everybody. But ultimately, I've made all the deals," he said.

Describing his approach, Trump added, "The deal is a deal that I choose. View it differently: We are a department store and we set the price. I meet with the companies, and then I set a fair price, what I consider to be a fair price, and they can pay it, or they don't have to pay it."

Ukraine, Russia, and the Middle East

Trump also laid out his broader ambitions for striking international agreements, including with key players in the war in Ukraine and in the Middle East involving Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Trump, who took office on January 20 and had pledged during his campaign to end the war in Ukraine on his first day, expressed optimism for a swift resolution.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, he said a deal appeared to be within reach and noted he had set his own undisclosed deadline.

According to the report, his administration has recently presented a proposal during meetings with European and Ukrainian officials. His special envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Friday.

In remarks published by Time, Trump said Crimea — the Ukrainian territory annexed by Russia in 2014 — would remain under Moscow’s control.

"Crimea will stay with Russia. And (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelenskiy understands that, and everybody understands that it's been with them for a long time. It's been with them long before Trump came along," he said.

Read more: Reuters: US peace proposals to end Russia-Ukraine war unveiled

Related News

Inside Rubio's push for government change in Venezuela: Drop Site

US holds joint military drills with Trinidad and Tobago near Venezuela

Trump thinks Saudi Arabia will normalize ties with 'Israel'

Turning to the Middle East, Trump predicted that Saudi Arabia would join the "Abraham Accords" — the normalization agreements brokered between "Israel" and several Arab states during his first term.

"I think Saudi Arabia will go into the Abraham Accords," he pointed out. "That will happen."

Trump added that he plans to visit Saudi Arabia and the wider region next month.

Read more: US to offer KSA $100 billion arms deal during Trump visit: Reuters

A deal could be reached with Iran

He also voiced confidence that a deal could be reached with Iran. When asked whether he would be open to meeting with Iranian Leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei or President Masoud Pezeshkian, Trump responded, “Sure”.

Trump expressed optimism that Washington and Tehran will reach a new agreement over Iran’s nuclear program.

Trump, who withdrew the US from the 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and world powers in 2018, reiterated his warning that military action against Iran remains on the table unless a new deal is swiftly secured to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.

"I think we're going to make a deal with Iran," he indicated, referencing recent indirect US-Iranian talks that reportedly resulted in an agreement to draft a framework for a potential agreement.

Speaking separately to reporters at the White House on Friday, Trump echoed his optimism, saying, "Iran, I think, is going very well. We'll see what happens."

A US official described the talks as having made “very good progress.”

US would join war should 'Israel' strike Iran

Expert-level negotiations are set to resume Saturday in Oman, which has served as a mediator between the two adversaries. A third round of high-level nuclear discussions is also scheduled for the same day.

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted on the complete dismantling of Iran’s nuclear capabilities, arguing that partial measures would not guarantee "Israel’s" security.

Asked in the interview whether he feared Netanyahu might draw the United States into a war with Iran, Trump replied, “No”.

However, when pressed on whether the US would join a war should "Israel" strike Iran, Trump responded, "I may go in very willingly if we can't get a deal. If we don't make a deal, I'll be leading the pack."

Domestic actions and legal controversies

Domestically, Trump, who has vowed to use a second term for “retributio", defended his use of executive power, including actions targeting law firms, foreign students, and former US officials.

"I’ve gotta be doing something right, because I've had a lot of law firms give me a lot of money," he told Time.

He also stood by his administration’s revocation of visas for pro-Palestine students, saying, "They can protest, but they can't destroy the schools like they did with Columbia and others."

When asked whether he would instruct the Justice Department to release any evidence linking a Tufts University student arrested by US authorities to Hamas, Trump said he was unaware of the case but would look into it.

The student, Turkish national Rumeysa Ozturk, has insisted she was wrongfully detained based on her pro-Palestinian activism, including co-authoring an opinion piece in Tufts’ student newspaper.

Trump also defended a recent directive targeting Christopher Krebs, whom he dismissed as head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency in 2020 during his first term.

  • United States
  • Russia
  • Israel
  • US
  • China
  • Ukraine
  • Donald Trump
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Iran

Most Read

From previous scenes of the Qassam Brigades targeting an Israeli D9 bulldozer with a Yassin 105 shell, east of Deir al-Balah. (Military Media of the Qassam Brigades)

US knew fatal Rafah blast cause was not Hamas op., says journalist

  • Politics
  • 20 Oct 2025
'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

  • Technology
  • 24 Oct 2025
Abu Hamza, the spokesperson for the Al-Quds Brigades, during a speech televised on October 22, 2025 (Al-Quds Brigades Military Media)

Al-Quds Brigades' Abu Hamza mourns leaders, vows continued resistance

  • Politics
  • 22 Oct 2025
US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

  • Africa
  • 23 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Flags of Iran, Russia, and China (IRNA)
Politics

Russia, China, Iran send joint letter to IAEA on Resolution 2231 end

Rubio says UNRWA to play no role in Gaza aid deliveries
Politics

Rubio says UNRWA to play no role in Gaza aid deliveries

Tents are seen at UN school used as a shelter for displaced Palestinians in Khan Younis, Tuesday, September 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
Politics

UN warns of 'lost generation' amid Gaza education crisis

x
Politics

White House pushes to repeal US sanctions on Syria: Report

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS