WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has said he thought Tehran was not ready to make the “right deal” and that Washington was observing “what happens” in the Iran war. “It just means that we’re seeing what happens,” Trump told reporters when asked if US military options with Iran were limited.
Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews before departing for Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, Trump said Washington pledged this week to impose the toughest financial penalties in history with the aim of toppling the Iranian leadership. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he would give details on Monday of the planned sanctions after Trump warned of economic consequences against any country that provided “any type of lifeline to Iran.”
“We have total control of that entire region having to do with the Strait of Hormuz, and that means well into it, the land areas. So, they would love to make a deal, but they’re not ready to make the right deal, in my opinion,” Trump said. “No, not at all. It just means that we’re seeing what happens. They have no money, they have no navy, they have no air force, they are not paying their soldiers, they’re not paying their police, they have 350% inflation,” Trump said.
“We’re just going to sort of see what happens, and we have total control, as you know, of the border; we have total control if you look at the blockade, we have total control of that entire region having to do with the Strait of Hormuz,” he added. Trump said Iran was interested in reaching an agreement but had not yet agreed to the terms sought by Washington.
“So they would love to make a deal, but they’re not ready to make the right deal in my opinion,” he said.
His remarks came amid continued tensions between Washington and Tehran, with Trump recently announcing what he called the “most crushing economic operation ever taken” against Iran and warning countries providing financial, business or government support to Tehran of “tremendous economic consequences”. Trump said the measures would target Iran’s economic lifelines, including oil smuggling networks, financial transfers, exchange houses, ship registries and front companies.
Read also: Trump Claims Strait of Hormuz as ‘New US Territory’ and Shares Controversial Map
