President Donald Trump declared that Washington will keep its blockade and economic pressure on Iran in place and is in no hurry to ease them. He added that Iran's leaders "want a deal more than at any point since the beginning of the war," in remarks carried by Open Source Intel.
Trump framed the toll on Iran in blunt terms. "We are paralyzing their economy. They have no money, they have no fuel, and their people are very tired of the situation," he said.
The president noted that Tehran's leadership has shown less urgency than he had expected. Even so, he characterized the negotiations as "progressing well."
Trump also voiced doubt about who is actually making decisions in Tehran. "We don't want them to try to string us along once again," he warned.
At the end of October, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi conceded in an interview with Al Jazeera that the economic strain on his country is real, while insisting that Iran "will not surrender." He ruled out meeting American officials at that stage and listed sanctions relief and a reduced US military presence in the region among Tehran's conditions.
