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US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) said Iran wants to reach an agreement but is not ready for what he termed the "right deal", while reiterating that Washington has control over key areas in the region amid escalating tensions between the two countries.
Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews before departing for Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, Trump said economic measures against Iran did not indicate limited military options for the US. "No, not at all. It just means that we're seeing what happens. They have no money, they have no navy, they have no air force, they are not paying their soldiers, they're not paying their police, they have 350% inflation," Trump said. "We're just going to sort of see what happens, and we have total control, as you know, of the border; we have total control -- if you look at the blockade, we have total control of that entire region having to do with the Strait of Hormuz," he added. Trump said Iran was interested in reaching an agreement but had not yet agreed to the terms sought by Washington. "So they would love to make a deal, but they're not ready to make the right deal in my opinion," he said. His remarks came amid continued tensions between Washington and Tehran, with Trump recently announcing what he called the "most crushing economic operation ever taken" against Iran and warning countries providing financial, business or government support to Tehran of "tremendous economic consequences". Trump said the measures would target Iran's economic lifelines, including oil smuggling networks, financial transfers, exchange houses, ship registries and front companies. "Oil smuggling, swap lines, cash transfers, exchange houses, ship registries, front companies -- It all needs to stop now," Trump said in his post on Truth Social. The US President also called the campaign an "Economic D-Day" and urged American allies to join Washington in isolating Iran. "You know who you are. This will be an Economic D-Day, and we need all of our Allies to stand with the United States of America to isolate, and defeat, the Iran threat," Trump said. President Trump earlier reiterated the claims of destruction of Tehran's military infrastructure, while also reiterating the stance for Iran not to acquire nuclear weapons. Trump made the remarks in an interview with 77 WABC, whose excerpts were shared by RapidResponse47 in a post on X. "We're essentially controlling and soon will be controlling the straits. We're doing very well with Iran... The Navy's gone, the Air Force's gone, the leadership's gone," Trump said. Trump also said that talks with Iran had become difficult following the deaths of key Iranian leaders, adding that the country could never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon. "The key that the reason I did it was that we had no choice, and I would have done it again, a hundred times. They cannot have a nuclear weapon, and they won't be having a nuclear weapon," he said. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi criticised Trump's latest economic pressure campaign against Tehran, calling it a failed approach. "14 years ago: 'Most crippling sanctions in history.' Failed. 8 years ago: 'Maximum pressure.' Failed. 5 months ago: 'Unconditional surrender.' Failed. Today: 'Most crushing economic operation ever.' Bound to fail. We have seen this movie before. Same bull. Different bullies," Araghchi said in a post on X. Araghchi also accused Washington of using the announcement as a diversion from its own economic challenges and said US pressure policies would not succeed. Earlier, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tehran would not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until the United States fulfilled commitments under a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding, including lifting the blockade, releasing frozen Iranian assets and easing oil sanctions. (ANI)
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