By The South Asia Times

WASHINGTON  - US President Donald Trump said there is a "good chance" of reaching a deal with Iran, but warned that Washington would resume military operations if negotiations collapse.

"We’re talking with Iran right now. We are having good talks," Trump told reporters. "There is a good chance something can happen. If it doesn't, then we go back to doing what we were doing two days ago".

The president's comments come after days of back-and-forth strikes between the US and Iran, which shredded a Pakistani-brokered framework agreement signed in June that was meant to end their war and pave the way for a lasting peace deal.

Trump argued that the negotiations were only possible because of U.S. military pressure. "They would not have requested the meeting if we were doing poorly," he said, according to multiple news reports. "The only reason they want to meet is that we've been hitting them very hard".

Earlier this month, the US launched major strikes on Iran in response to Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, according to U.S. Central Command. Iranian officials accused the US of violating Points 1 and 2 of the Islamabad memorandum of understanding, and Tehran responded by targeting U.S. facilities in several Gulf countries.

The renewed hostilities followed an April ceasefire collapse and have raised concerns about further escalation in the region.

A White House official confirmed Trump is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday — their first face-to-face meeting since the Iran war began.

In that meeting, Trump will discuss "the conflict in Iran, progress with the Trilateral Framework in Lebanon, and expanding the Abraham Accords," the official said.

Trump acknowledged he and Netanyahu are not fully aligned on Iran. Asked if they are on the same page, Trump said they are "pretty close" but "we have a little difference" . Relations between the two leaders reached a low point during April ceasefire negotiations when Trump reportedly unleashed profanity-laced tirades against his Israeli ally, later describing Netanyahu as a "very difficult guy".

On Tuesday, Trump will also hold a separate meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss the "ongoing peace process between Russia and Ukraine," the official said. "Now is the time to end the war".

Asked about Zelenskyy's claim that Russia was sharing satellite intelligence with Iran, Trump said he would seek clarification from Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Well, we'll find out about that soon. I'll ask Putin about it. We'll find out," he said.

Zelensky has said Ukraine was monitoring Russian satellite surveillance of U.S. military bases in Gulf states since early July. Ukrainian intelligence officials have accused Moscow of providing Tehran with targeting intelligence for attacks on US installations. Trump, however, expressed confidence that any Russian assistance was not occurring at a high level.

The US and Iran signed a 60-day interim deal in June that was meant to serve as a framework for a comprehensive peace agreement. The deal committed Iran to "downblending" its stockpile of highly enriched uranium under IAEA supervision while negotiations continued. However, key issues - including Iran's nuclear program, missile capabilities, and support for regional proxies - remained unresolved.

The war began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February after a series of Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The conflict has seen the U.S. impose a naval blockade on Iranian ports and carry out strikes on Iranian military targets, while Iran has retaliated with attacks on U.S. allies throughout the Middle East.