Washington: US President Donald Trump on Monday sharply criticised Iran, accusing its leadership of being “duplicitous” over negotiations with Washington and warning that pressure on Tehran would continue until it agrees to a deal or what he described as “total surrender.”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed Iran was privately seeking talks with the United States while publicly denying that any direct or indirect negotiations were taking place. His remarks came after Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei rejected reports of active bilateral dialogue, asserting that Tehran was not engaged in direct or indirect talks with Washington.
“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 wrote.
The US President also reiterated his claim that the United States maintains control over the Strait of Hormuz, dismissing Iranian assertions over the strategic waterway.
“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!’ Nothing gets through to Iran unless we want it to, and nothing will get through unless a Deal, or Total Surrender, is accomplished,” Trump said.
Trump further repeated Washington’s long-standing position on Iran’s nuclear programme, stating, “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!”
His comments followed Baghaei’s statement that a recent understanding between Iran and Oman on a new maritime traffic route through the Strait of Hormuz was a technical arrangement to ensure safe navigation and did not indicate the reopening of the key shipping lane.
The exchange comes amid heightened tensions in West Asia, with uncertainty continuing over the future of US-Iran engagement. Earlier, Trump had said negotiations with Iran were expected to begin through intermediaries, even as Tehran maintained that no such talks were underway.
