Trump Remarks on Iran Negotiations and Naval Blockade

On Monday, President Donald Trump commented that the “right people” in Iran are attempting to negotiate an unfavorable deal after discussions collapsed over the weekend. He stated firmly that Iran “will never” possess a nuclear weapon, coinciding with the U.S. establishing a naval blockade targeting Iranian ports to apply further pressure.

Following nearly 21 hours of negotiations facilitated by Pakistan in Islamabad, Trump, speaking outside the White House, noted that Iran had re-engaged in talks despite the lack of a successful outcome.

“We’ve been called over there,” Trump remarked. “They want to make a deal, but it’s very disappointing.” He elaborated that the talks fell apart because Iran was unwilling to comply with key U.S. demands, specifically to cease its nuclear ambitions and relinquish enriched materials.

He reiterated, “Iran does not have nuclear weapons. We agreed to a lot of things, but they didn’t agree to that. If they don’t agree, there’s no deal. There’ll never be a deal.” Trump mentioned the U.S. goal to recover remaining highly enriched uranium, referring to it as “dust.” He stated, “We’re going to get it back… Either we’re going to get it back from them, or we’re going to take it.”

Trump expressed optimism that Iran would eventually yield, saying, “I think they will agree. I’m almost certain. In fact, I’m convinced of that.”

This discussion followed Trump’s assertion on Sunday that he wasn’t worried about whether Iran would resume negotiations, emphasizing that it had lost any bargaining power after the breakdown of talks.

The U.S. blockade, initiated at 10 a.m. ET on Monday, focuses on ships entering and exiting Iranian ports while allowing vessels to traverse the Strait of Hormuz, as long as they refrain from engaging Iran, according to U.S. Central Command.

Trump characterized this blockade as a direct consequence of Iran’s actions in the strait, accusing the nation of manipulating global energy supply for leverage. “We cannot allow one country to blackmail and blackmail the world, because that’s what they’re doing,” he remarked. “They really are threatening the world.”

He added that global shipping patterns are shifting, with an increased demand for U.S. energy exports. “A lot of tankers are coming here,” Trump noted. “They come in empty and come out full.”

In a post on Truth Social early Monday, Trump asserted that Iran’s navy had been “completely destroyed” and warned that any Iranian vessels approaching the blockade would be “immediately removed.”

He also highlighted that 34 ships had passed through the Strait of Hormuz the previous day—the highest number since unrest began—suggesting that traffic unrelated to Iranian ports continues despite escalating tensions.

When asked about what might happen if an agreement isn’t reached by the ceasefire’s end, Trump declined to provide specifics, merely stating, “It won’t be fun for them, let me tell you that.”

Disputes over uranium enrichment and Iran’s stockpiles remain pivotal obstacles, and negotiations continue to be stalled despite mediation attempts before the ceasefire expires.