Trump says Iran is desperate to talk. Experts see a different reality

NPR | By Michele Kelemen

Published July 22, 2026 at 9:58 AM HST

President Trump says Iran is desperate to negotiate — but experts warn the conflict may be drifting further from diplomacy.

Michele Kelemen

Michele Kelemen has been with NPR for two decades, starting as NPR's Moscow bureau chief and now covering the State Department and Washington's diplomatic corps. Her reports can be heard on all NPR News programs, including Morning Edition and All Things Considered.

See stories by Michele Kelemen

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