President Donald Trump blasted Iran’s negotiating style on Monday morning, just days after he called off major strikes with the hopes of giving diplomacy another shot.
He specifically commented on the ongoing United States naval blockade, writing that “nothing gets through to Iran, unless we want it to, and nothing will get through, unless a Deal, or Total Surrender, is accomplished.”
However, the president confirmed that talks will be underway again between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic.
“Iranian Leadership is unbelievably duplicitous! They ask for a meeting, some would say ‘beg,’ talks begin, with more scheduled in the immediate future, and they say, openly and proudly, that they’re not having any discussions, that nothing is being talked about, and they’re only dealing with ‘Oman,’” Trump posted to Truth Social.
“They then go on to give their usual blather in saying, the Strait of Hormuz will be operated powerfully by them, when it is already completely controlled by the United States Navy and our ‘Blockade’ or, as some say, ‘The United States Wall of Steel,’” he added.
“Whether Iran wants to admit it or not, we are, in fact, talking of a solution to a problem that they have caused, for decades. It is very simple, IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!” the president continued.
On Saturday night, the president said that he was halting attack plans after hearing from other countries in the Middle East. The actions would have likely directly impacted Iran’s energy systems, according to Axios.
“Despite this, we have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to. This would include the Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran's nuclear threat,” Trump wrote.
“Based on this request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL,” he continued.
The tensions between the two countries ratcheted back up in July after the Memorandum of Understanding was arguably violated after Iran struck cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz.