US President Donald Trump warned Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a letter in March that failure to reach a deal through talks would lead to war, an Iranian deputy foreign minister said on Monday.

Majid Takht-Ravanchi said the message, delivered three months before the 12-day conflict, read “we should start negotiations, and if they fail, there will be war.”

Iran agreed to indirect negotiations, while Washington pushed for direct talks, Takht-Ravanchi said.

“The content of the letter and the attitude of US officials showed they believed with Trump’s return, the whole world needed him and he could dictate the terms,” he said, adding that Tehran decided to respond but only through indirect channels.

In June 2025, tensions between Israel and Iran erupted into open conflict when Israel launched coordinated airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, including Natanz and Isfahan, as well as several missile and command centers.

Several top Iranian military leaders, including IRGC commander-in-chief Hossein Salami and armed forces chief of staff Mohammad Bagheri, were killed in Israeli attacks

Citing an imminent threat from Tehran’s expanding nuclear program, Israel’s operation drew swift retaliation from Iran, which fired waves of missiles and drones at Israeli targets.

Within days, the United States joined the campaign, striking key Iranian nuclear and military sites in support of Israel. The fighting lasted nearly two weeks, leaving heavy damage.