On 12 November, US President Donald Trump stated that Washington was no longer interested in reaching an agreement with Iran. According to him, the United States already controls hundreds of billions of dollars of Iranian assets and the Strait of Hormuz. This new statement contradicts his recent comments regarding the possibility of a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.
- Trump stated that the US no longer needs an agreement with Iran.
- The US President claims that Washington controls Iranian assets and the Strait of Hormuz.
- As recently as 8 November, Trump had suggested that the conflict could be resolved diplomatically, provided an agreement was signed.
- Vice-President J.D. Vance has been tasked with focusing on domestic issues in the US.
Trump has ruled out the need to negotiate with Tehran
President of the United States Donald Trump posted a statement on his social media platform, Truth Social, in which he effectively questioned the need for further negotiations with Iran.
«We don’t need a deal with Iran. Those days are long gone. We have their money — hundreds of billions of dollars — and their strait!» wrote the US President.
We are talking about Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant proportion of the world’s seaborne oil supplies passes. Following the outbreak of the armed conflict between the US and Iran, control over shipping in this region has become one of the main points of contention between Washington and Tehran.
Trump’s claim regarding control of the strait and hundreds of billions of dollars of Iranian funds is his own assertion. There is no independent confirmation of full US control over the Strait of Hormuz.
At the same time, the US President stated that the Vice-President JD Vance should focus its attention on tackling crime and corruption within the country, rather than on reaching an agreement with Iran.
Just four days ago, Trump spoke of the possibility of a deal
The White House’s current stance differs markedly from the statements made by the US President earlier this week.
On 8 November, in a telephone interview with CNN, Trump noted that the new American strikes on Iran would be unlikely if the talks showed progress. At the time, he linked the possibility of avoiding further military escalation to the signing of a sufficiently robust agreement with Tehran.
As recently as 2 November, Trump spoke of positive progress in the negotiations and suggested that agreements might be reached in the near future.
The talks centred on Iran’s nuclear programme, sanctions and the restoration of safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Talks between the US and Iran remain at a standstill
In June, the United States and Iran signed a memorandum aimed at halting hostilities and creating the conditions for further negotiations. However, the parties have yet to reach a final peace agreement.
Washington is continuing its naval blockade of Iranian ports, whilst Tehran is insisting on the lifting of sanctions, the unfreezing of assets and an end to US military pressure.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Vance has recently been considering the possibility of direct talks with Iranian representatives. However, Trump’s latest statement calls into question the Vice-President’s future role in this diplomatic process.
At the time of publication, there had been no official response from Tehran to the US President’s latest remarks.
