Trump: Iran stretched rope too far, still weighing strikes

US President Donald Trump revealed Sunday night in an exclusive phone interview with Israel's Channel 12 that he expects further talks with Iran later this week, as part of ongoing efforts to reach a new agreement with Tehran.

The president stressed that the Iranians are showing strong interest in securing a deal, but made clear their proposals do not meet his demands. "They want a deal very badly," Trump said, "but their offers are not acceptable to me. They've stretched the rope too far."

Asked whether he is considering renewed military strikes against Iran, the president answered briefly and firmly: "I always think about it."

Alongside the president's remarks, he disclosed data on continued US military activity in the Strait of Hormuz despite severe security tensions in the region. According to him, the US military continues to move massive quantities of oil through the strategic waterway.

Trump revealed that over the past weekend, "more than 20 million barrels" of oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz, the highest figure to date. A senior US security official confirmed the numbers and noted that on Friday night alone, 22 million barrels of oil were transported through the strategic passage.

Against this backdrop, mediators from Qatar and other regional states continue diplomatic efforts aimed at restarting indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran. White House special envoys held indirect meetings last week with the Iranian foreign minister, in which mutual demands were raised regarding the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of sanctions.

Despite Trump publicly rejecting the Iranian proposals as insufficient, Qatari mediators are expected to continue a separate round of contacts with both sides during the coming week, according to reports.

It should be noted that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed in recent days that his country had transmitted to Washington an organized plan to open the strait within seven days of American approval, but Trump rejected the proposal publicly.

Today, Iran issued another threat to the US, saying it is examining additional options to deal with the situation that has developed.