BERLIN, March 24 - Germany's foreign minister said on Tuesday that he regarded U.S. President Donald Trump's public statement about conversations with Iran as a possible turning point in the conflict that has persisted for nearly a month.
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told broadcaster MDR that "something is happening, and that’s a good thing in this time when there have been more risks of escalation than possibilities of bringing this conflict under control."
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Monday, President Trump wrote that the United States and Iran had held "very good and productive" conversations about a "complete and total resolution of hostilities in the Middle East". Iran, however, has said no negotiations took place.
Wadephul said he believed the conversations reported by the U.S. president were serious, arguing that "otherwise he wouldn’t have said it that way" and that the United States would not have postponed its threatened attack on Iranian power plants if there had not been substantive engagement.
Reflecting on the development, Wadephul characterized the situation as delicate. "It’s a fragile beginning, but it’s a start nonetheless," he said. He added that efforts should be made to nurture the nascent progress so that "there’s a way to control this conflict."
The minister's remarks underscore the contrasting public accounts from Washington and Tehran: one describing productive dialogue and the other denying that any talks occurred. Wadephul pointed to concrete government actions, specifically the decision to delay military action against energy infrastructure, as part of his assessment that the U.S. statement reflected genuine diplomatic engagement.
While he portrayed the moment as a potential opening toward de-escalation, Wadephul emphasized the tentative nature of the development and called for collective efforts to consolidate any emerging diplomatic progress.
Given the limited and conflicting public statements from the parties involved, questions remain about the scope and durability of any accords or understandings that may have been discussed. The foreign minister framed the situation as an initial step that requires careful follow-through to translate into sustained conflict control.