US President Donald Trump said in an interview with ABC News on Monday that he believes a peace deal with Iran is possible within the next week,
following reports that Tehran had stopped negotiations with Washington.
In a phone call with ABC News, Trump said an agreement with Iran to extend the ceasefire and open the Strait of Hormuz could be reached "within the next week."
The president noted that there had been a "slight hiccup," apparently referring to Iran's protest against Israeli aggression against Lebanon, which, according to reports, prompted Tehran to withdraw from the talks.
At the time of publication, it was unknown whether talks between the US and Iran had resumed.
Trump previously told CNBC that he was not concerned about Iran possibly ending negotiations. However, he subsequently said that negotiations with Iran were "progressing rapidly."
In an interview with ABC, Trump said he had held talks with the Lebanese group Hezbollah and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reduce tensions between the two sides. On Monday, Lebanon announced a partial truce between Israel and Hezbollah.
On Monday, the US and Iran exchanged airstrikes, further jeopardizing the fragile truce and dampening hopes for a swift peace agreement.
Over the past month, Trump has repeatedly stated that a deal with Iran is close, despite ongoing disagreements between the two sides over Tehran's nuclear activities and the US naval blockade.
Iran continues to keep the Strait of Hormuz largely blocked and has given little indication of its intention to open this key shipping lane. Furthermore, Tehran is reportedly considering imposing a toll on passage through the Strait of Hormuz, an initiative that the US has generally rejected.
Late last week, reports emerged that the US and Iran had reached a preliminary memorandum of understanding regarding an extension of the ceasefire and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz. However, Trump has not yet signed the agreement.
In June, the US-Israeli war against Iran entered its fourth month.