President Donald Trump said he would be "honored" to meet with Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei if it were to finalize a deal between the U.S. and Iran.
"If we make a deal, it's possible that I would meet," Trump told press. "I'd be okay with that."
He went on to say that he would expect Khamenei to behave like a "professional" in such a scenario despite the war, in which his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the conflict's initial strikes.
"In some circles, he has a very good reputation, actually," Trump added.
Negotiations, however, continue to be stalled. The countries traded new strikes this week, with a person being killed in Kuwait after a barrage from Tehran involving drones and missiles.
The U.S. military also said it shot down Iranian drones near the Strait of Hormuz and targeted Iran's Qeshm Island.
Officials involved in the negotiations to end the war continue giving contrasting statements about the current scenario.
A top Iranian official said on Tuesday that a resumption of the war seems "inevitable" as Washington "demands our total surrender, and the Iranian nation will never surrender."
"When surrender is not an option, war lies ahead. Therefore, we are prepared and have no issue with war," said Mohammad Jafar Asadi, deputy head of Iran's central military command, Khatam al-Anbiya, according to state TV.
The official went on to say that the country has yet to play all of its "trump cards." "There are many capabilities that, if necessary, we will use."
Elsewhere, Mehr News agency reported that officials are still reviewing the U.S.'s latest proposal to end the war and have not provided an answer.
"Based on previous experiences, Iran is seeking tangible and real benefits," a source told the outlet. "The United States is concerned about war; we are concerned about an agreement."
Another report noted that Iran is seeking economic relief from the U.S. without making major nuclear concessions.
Reuters cited three Iranian sources close to decision-makers to describe the situation in Tehran, noting that its leadership usually seeks to avoid making large compromises and keep negotiations alive but avoid making key commitments.
The outlet went on to note that while Iranian leadership behaves like it could maintain the current scenario indefinitely, seeking to exert pressure on the global economy by maintaining the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, internal conditions are also deteriorating.
