Trump on Iran: “Very Bad State”
President Trump has described Iran as being in a “very bad state,” reiterating that the country will “not have nuclear weapons.” He mentioned he’s indifferent about whether Iran resumes negotiations, indicating a lack of interest in renegotiating the deal. Additionally, a U.S. blockade on Iranian oil is set to begin on Monday morning.
Upon returning to Washington from Florida, Trump made these comments late Sunday. He clarified his position following the breakdown of U.S.-Iran discussions, asserting, “I don’t care if they come back. If they don’t, I’m fine.”
These statements followed around 21 hours of negotiations in Islamabad between U.S. officials, including Vice President J.D. Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, alongside Iranian representatives. The talks concluded without an agreement. Vance noted that while the discussions contained “substantive” elements, they ultimately stalled due to Iran’s refusal to accept U.S. demands, suggesting the outcome was “more bad news for Iran than for the United States.”
Trump labeled the failure of talks as secondary to Washington’s main objectives, stating, “Iran is in a very bad place,” and reaffirming the U.S. position: “Iran doesn’t have nuclear weapons… They’re still pursuing it, and they made that clear last night.”
His remarks came just hours before a U.S. naval blockade targeting vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports was set to take effect at 10 a.m. ET on Monday. The U.S. Central Command confirmed that the operation would ensure “fair access to all nations’ vessels,” while maintaining navigation freedom for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, as long as their destinations were not Iran.
Trump noted that the blockade was a response to Iran’s failure to fulfill its promise to reopen the Strait of Hormuz under the ceasefire, accusing the country of dishonesty: “Their promise was to open the Strait of Hormuz. They didn’t do it. They lied.”
He also mentioned that international efforts to restrict Iranian oil exports are already in motion, calling this initiative “very effective.” Trump claimed that Iran’s military capabilities have significantly diminished, stating, “Their military is gone. Their missiles are almost exhausted. Their missile and drone production capacity is almost gone.”
Despite escalating tensions, Trump asserted that the temporary ceasefire established the previous week “continues well.”
Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned through state media that it would react “sternly and decisively” to any warships approaching the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump briefly touched on the rescue of two U.S. service members shot down over Iran earlier this month, stating, “They are in very good shape and we are very proud of them.”
The administration maintains that any future agreements hinge on Iran completely relinquishing its nuclear aspirations, though officials acknowledge that Iran has yet to comply with this condition.
