ALBAWABA — U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington is closely watching developments in Iran, saying the United States has gained broad authority throughout the Strait of Hormuz and adjacent areas as pressure rises on Tehran to strike an agreement.
Trump told reporters Saturday morning that Iranian officials are willing to reach a deal with Washington but have not accepted parameters he finds acceptable.
Trump downplayed the idea that the United States had limited military choices against Iran, saying Washington was merely watching events play out.
Trump Claims He Has ‘Total Control’
Trump said the United States has “total control” over the area around the Strait of Hormuz, including “large portions of land.”
The president also characterized Iran as grappling with increasing financial challenges, saying Tehran is having trouble funding state institutions and paying its police and military forces personnel.
Trump said those economic factors, and Washington’s posture surrounding Hormuz, have made Tehran more willing to make an agreement.
But he said Iran has not yet offered what his government deems an acceptable arrangement.
Tehran Claims Negotiating From a Position of Power
Iran offered a quite different view of its position.
Tehran had entered talks over a memorandum of understanding from a position of strength and would continue to defend Iranian interests and rights throughout negotiations over the country's nuclear program, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said.
The remarks come as tensions between Washington and Tehran have escalated, with the United States ratcheting up economic pressure on Iran while leaving the door open to additional military action.
Despite the heated rhetoric, both parties are still signaling that diplomacy remains viable, albeit big differences seem to linger on the terms of any prospective accord.
