Trump Not Ready to Negotiate with Tehran: Terms "Not Good Enough Yet"
President Donald Trump said Iran “wants to make a deal,” but added that he is not interested at this stage because “the terms aren’t good enough yet.” He said any future agreement would need to be “very solid.”
US President Donald Trump said he is not ready to agree to a deal ending the war with Iran, despite what he described as pressure from Tehran to reach an agreement.
In a phone interview with NBC News, Trump said Iran “wants to make a deal,” but added that he is not interested at this stage because “the terms aren’t good enough yet.” He said any future agreement would need to be “very solid.”
Trump also discussed recent US strikes on Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export terminal, claiming the attacks had caused massive damage.
“We totally demolished Kharg Island,” he said, adding that the US could strike the location again if necessary.
At the same time, Trump said American forces avoided targeting Iran’s core oil infrastructure in order to allow the country to rebuild more quickly after the conflict.
The president also questioned whether Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is even alive. The cleric has not appeared publicly since being appointed following the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during the opening strikes of the war.
“I don’t know if he’s even alive,” Trump said. “So far nobody has been able to show him.”
Trump said he had heard rumors that the younger Khamenei may have died from injuries sustained during the initial wave of strikes, though he acknowledged the reports were unconfirmed.
“If he is alive, he should do something very smart for his country, and that’s surrender,” Trump said.
The president also said the United States is working with other countries on efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for global oil supplies, amid rising energy prices linked to the conflict.
Trump said several nations had agreed to help protect shipping in the strait, though he declined to name them. He warned that Iran’s ability to threaten shipping lanes would be eliminated as the campaign continues.