President Donald Trump said Saturday that he is not prepared to negotiate an end to the ongoing war with Iran, despite indications that Tehran may be open to a settlement, arguing that the current terms being discussed are “not good enough yet.”

In a telephone interview with NBC News, Trump declined to outline the specific conditions he would require for a ceasefire or broader agreement.

The president said his administration is working with several international partners on a plan to secure the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit corridor, as tensions in the region continue to push energy prices higher.

Trump also brushed aside concerns from Americans about rising gasoline prices following the U.S. and Israeli military campaign launched two weeks ago, suggesting the economic impact would be temporary.

During the interview, Trump cast doubt on the status of Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, questioning whether he is “even alive.”

The president said he was “surprised” that Iran had responded to the U.S.-Israeli offensive by targeting other countries in the Middle East. Trump also claimed that U.S. strikes on Kharg Island had “totally demolished” much of the key oil export facility and suggested additional attacks could follow.

In the same interview, Trump criticized Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying the Ukrainian leader had been “far more difficult to make a deal with” than Vladimir Putin during attempts to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine.

His remarks come amid international criticism of Washington after the U.S. recently eased sanctions on Russian oil exports, a move the administration said was intended to help stabilize global energy markets as prices climb during the expanding Middle East conflict.