US President Donald Trump has said that Iran may have a vested interest in reaching an agreement as diplomatic efforts over its nuclear programme and the region’s escalating conflict remain unresolved.

In a telephone interview with French broadcaster BFMTV, Trump said it was unclear whether a deal would be reached in the near term.

“I have no idea. If they don’t, they’re going to have a very bad time. They have an interest in reaching an agreement,” Trump told the BFMTV correspondent from the United States.

Reports suggest that Trump is expected to make a decision in the coming hours on whether to resume strikes against Iran, as negotiations aimed at ending hostilities and addressing Tehran’s nuclear ambitions have yet to yield concrete results.

Regional tensions have been high since February 28, when the US and Israel carried out strikes on Iranian targets, prompting retaliatory attacks by Tehran against Israel and US allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

A ceasefire brokered through Pakistani mediation took effect on April 8, but subsequent talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting resolution.

Trump later extended the truce indefinitely while maintaining a blockade on vessels travelling to or from Iranian ports via the strategic waterway.