President Trump on Monday attacked Iranian leadership in a post on Truth Social after Tehran denied his claim that talks with the US were taking place.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said that the only negotiations underway were between Iran and Oman, but that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz wouldn’t change unless the US lifts the blockade of Iranian ports. In his post, Trump vowed the blockade would continue.
“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.
“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,” he added.
Trump concluded the post by claiming that 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!”
Over the weekend, Trump said he decided to hold off on an attack that would have inflicted “military terror” on Iran over claims that Tehran requested the US back down and wanted talks, claims that were quickly rejected by Iranian officials. The climbdown from the US president follows a pattern of him threatening major escalations against Iran, such as massive strikes on its civilian infrastructure, then backing down while claiming a deal is close, only for Iranian officials to deny it.
The threat of escalation and more US strikes on Iran is still on the table as the US continues enforcing the blockade. US Central Command said on Sunday that since the blockade was reimposed, its forces have “redirected 35 commercial vessels, disabled 2, and boarded 2.”
