President Donald Trump announced Monday that the United States is in 'serious discussions' with a 'new, and more reasonable, regime' in Iran, hailing 'great progress' toward ending military operations there.

In a statement, Trump said the talks involve a leadership group 'that we've never dealt with before' and described them as 'very different and strange,' adding that they are 'begging' for a deal. He demanded that Iran immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz for shipping, which Tehran closed after the conflict began.

Trump warned that failure to reach a deal soon would lead to the destruction of Iran's energy infrastructure. 'We will conclude our lovely ‘stay’ in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their electric generating plants, oil wells, and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalination plants!),' he stated, noting these sites had been spared so far. The president previously set an April 6 deadline for an agreement but has extended it amid negotiations.

The remarks come five weeks into a U.S.-Israeli air campaign against Iran that began on February 28 with strikes on military sites and top officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Subsequent operations killed other leaders, such as Ali Larijani, who briefly served as de facto head after Khamenei. Trump has repeatedly called these assassinations a form of regime change, stating aboard Air Force One that the U.S. is now 'dealing with different people than anybody’s dealt with before.'

Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the slain supreme leader, has been selected as Iran's new supreme leader since the 1979 revolution. U.S. peace talks with Iran started on March 21, recently mediated by Pakistan, following a U.S. proposal with 15 demands.

Iran has downplayed the negotiations. Parliament speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf claimed Sunday that U.S. overtures mask plans for a ground invasion, citing American military buildup. Tehran's envoy to the UN denied that any talks had occurred.

As a goodwill gesture, Iran allowed 20 oil tankers to pass through the strait starting Monday, which Trump cited as progress. Markets reacted positively to the de-escalation signals, with Bitcoin rising above $67,600.

Trump expressed optimism about sealing a deal, saying he is 'pretty sure' it will happen, while emphasizing the need to end Iran's '47 year Reign of Terror.' The conflict stemmed from Iran's nuclear program and regional proxy attacks, amid prior protests in late 2025.