Trump Confident of Reaching Better Deal with Iran

JAKARTA - US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said President Donald Trump believes he can negotiate a much better deal with Iran.

Trump earlier said in his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he stressed the importance of continuing engagement with Tehran to complete an agreement.

Trump also expressed hope that Iran would act "sensibly and responsibly."

"President Trump is open-minded, and as he said, he believes he can now get a much better deal from the Iranians after Operation Midnight Hammer on June 22," Bessent told Fox News, adding that whether or not the deal is reached depends on Tehran.

He also said Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth would make a number of decisions amid the redeployment of Washington's military assets towards Iran.

On Tuesday, several media outlets reported, citing satellite imagery, that US forces had moved aircraft and defense systems to military bases in the region as tensions with Iran escalated.

Last month, Trump said a "big armada" was moving toward Iran and expressed hope that Tehran would be willing to negotiate a fair and equal deal, including its total nuclear disarmament.

The US leader also recalled that in June 2025, the US attacked Iran's nuclear facilities in Operation Midnight Hammer. He said the next attack would be much worse and called for it not to happen.