After the successful hostage-prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas under the Gaza ceasefire deal, US President Donald Trump announced the beginning of what he called a “historic new dawn in the Middle East.” He said the United States is now ready to pursue peace between Iran and Israel.

Speaking at Israel’s Parliament, the Knesset, on Monday — just hours after the final Israeli hostages were freed from Gaza — Trump said Washington was prepared to negotiate with Iran “when Tehran is ready.”

The US president described the moment as the end of years of conflict and suffering. “This is not only the end of war – this is the end of an age of terror and death. Israel, with our help, has won all that it can by force of arms. Now it’s time to translate those victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East,” he said.

Trump eyes deal with Iran

Trump’s remarks came amid ongoing uncertainty over the future of nuclear talks between the US and Iran. Before the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June, the two nations had held five rounds of talks focused on Iran’s nuclear program. However, the negotiations stalled over the issue of uranium enrichment.

Western powers have pushed to end uranium enrichment on Iranian soil to prevent potential weaponisation, a demand Tehran has strongly rejected.

Referring to the stalled talks, Trump said, “We are ready when you are and it will be the best decision that Iran has ever made, and it’s going to happen.” He added, “The hand of friendship and cooperation is open. I’m telling you, they (Iran) want to make a deal… it would be great if we could make a deal.”

On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi responded cautiously, saying Tehran would consider a “fair and balanced” proposal from Washington if one was officially presented. “If we receive a reasonable, balanced, and fair proposal from the Americans for negotiations, we will certainly consider it,” Araqchi said on state television, confirming that both sides had been exchanging messages through mediators.

Trump signs Gaza peace agreement in Egypt

Trump also attended and signed a Gaza peace agreement during a high-profile summit held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on Monday. The summit, co-hosted by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, brought together several regional leaders to formalize the ceasefire and discuss long-term stability in Gaza.

Calling it a “very important signing,” Trump said he was proud of his team for achieving what he called one of the most complex diplomatic challenges of his presidency. “I thought this was probably going to be the toughest, and maybe in many ways it was, but we had a lot of big talent,” CNN quoted him as saying during the ceremony.

A new phase of diplomacy

With the Gaza ceasefire holding and the release of hostages completed, Trump now aims to expand his diplomatic push toward resolving deeper regional rivalries, including those involving Iran. His latest remarks signal a broader effort by Washington to reshape the Middle East’s political landscape through negotiation rather than conflict.