Iran keeps 'begging' for a deal, Trump says; 100 days later, it has not signed one

U.S. President Donald Trump has made at least 37 public declarations since March 2026 claiming a nuclear agreement with Iran was close, agreed in principle, or days away from finalization. These statements began on March 23, shortly after the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran started on February 28, with Trump telling reporters outside Air Force One that negotiations had reached ‘almost all points of agreement.’ Iranian officials denied any talks were underway. Trump’s rhetoric consistently framed Iran as eager to strike a deal, describing Tehran as ‘begging’ for a settlement by late March. On April 7, following a declared ceasefire, he posted on social media that the agreement was ‘very far along’ and would be finalized within two weeks. Despite these assurances, no deal materialized, and by late April, Trump continued to predict an imminent resolution, including claims on April 16 and 17 that Iran had ‘agreed to everything’ and that a deal was days away. By May 2026, Trump announced temporary pauses in military strikes, citing regional allies’ belief that a deal was near. On May 18, he acknowledged past failures but insisted this pause was ‘a little bit different.’ Yet no progress followed, and by late May, he again claimed the agreement was ‘largely negotiated’ and imminent. Analysts highlight a growing gap between Trump’s repeated predictions of victory and the lack of concrete results, questioning the feasibility of a negotiated settlement amid ongoing hostilities. The conflict has exposed what observers describe as the limits of American military power, with Trump’s optimistic timelines repeatedly failing to align with reality. Iranian officials have not engaged in negotiations as described by Trump, and no formal agreement has been signed despite his repeated declarations of progress. The situation remains unresolved, with no clear path forward despite the president’s persistent claims of near-certain success.