US President Donald Trump said he does not know who the United States could negotiate with in Iran, pointing to the killing of most of the country’s top leaders and suggesting that few officials may be willing to take over the leadership of Iran.
Trump: Iran Wants a Deal
Trump said Iran strongly wants to reach an agreement, but questioned whether negotiations would be worthwhile at this stage.
“Iran wants a deal very badly, but we don’t know if we want it,” Trump said.
He also predicted that energy prices would decline once US operations related to Iran come to an end.
Trump Calls Strait of Hormuz ‘American Land’
Trump renewed his remarks about the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, saying he “considers it American land” and insisting that the United States would not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.
He also emphasized Washington’s ability to exert significant control over developments surrounding the strait, which is a critical route for global shipping and energy supplies.
US Prepares Tougher Sanctions on Iran
The Trump administration is preparing a new package of sanctions against Iran, which Washington has described as the “toughest financial sanctions in history.”
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said details of the new measures would be announced on Monday.
Iran, meanwhile, has threatened a “devastating” response to any new US threats, while Trump previously warned that countries providing “any kind of vital support” to Iran could face economic consequences.
Previous Ceasefire Efforts Collapsed
The United States and Iran previously announced ceasefire agreements in April and June as part of efforts to restore freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and bring the conflict, which has lasted for roughly six months, to an end.
Both agreements, however, quickly broke down as tensions between Washington and Tehran continued and economic and military pressure on Iran intensified.
