President Donald Trump said Tuesday he is unwilling to engage in direct talks with Iran at this point, claiming a deal was near days ago but blaming Tehran’s current negotiators for blocking progress. His remarks came during a Fox News interview, though he acknowledged that U.S. representatives spoke with Iranian officials as recently as an hour earlier. The backdrop is a rapidly collapsing ceasefire signed June 17; since July 8, U.S. forces have struck roughly 170 Iranian military sites in retaliation for attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s foreign ministry denied seeking new negotiations but welcomed a Qatari mediating visit, while Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf signaled openness to diplomacy. The conflict threatens to hurt Trump’s party in November midterms and has strained Iran’s economy. Analysts caution that trust is too frayed for meaningful progress.