Trump Says Iran Can Negotiate by Phone, Signals Frustration With NATO

26/04/2026

WASHINGTON, April 26: Donald Trump said Sunday that the United States is open to holding direct phone talks with Iranian officials, suggesting a shift away from planned in-person diplomacy amid faltering negotiations.

In an interview with Fox News Channel, Trump said he had opted against sending a delegation on a lengthy overseas trip, instead inviting Tehran to initiate contact remotely. “We have all the cards. If they want to talk, they can come to us, or they can call us,” he said, without specifying a timeline.

The remarks come after talks appeared to collapse on Saturday, following the departure of Iran’s top diplomat from Islamabad and Trump’s decision to halt a planned U.S. delegation visit to the Pakistani capital.

Trump also indicated that any future negotiations could include U.S. control over what he described as Iran’s “nuclear dust,” though he did not elaborate on the term.

The U.S. president voiced strong disappointment with NATO, criticizing the alliance for what he described as a lack of support during heightened tensions with Iran, particularly after disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz.

“We’ve been serving them for many years, spending trillions of dollars, and when we wanted help they were not there,” Trump said, adding that Britain had only offered to deploy naval support after the conflict subsides.

Despite the tensions, Trump said some Iranian interlocutors appeared “very reasonable,” expressing hope that Tehran would choose to engage constructively, reiterating that negotiations could proceed via direct phone communication.