The Trump administration has rejected the possibility of returning to the preliminary agreement reached with Iran in June, according to a new report, as the White House says there are currently no negotiations taking place between Washington and Tehran.
The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter, that the administration has declined to revive the June framework, creating another obstacle to efforts to restart diplomatic negotiations with the Islamic Republic.
The report emerged as White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt publicly confirmed that Washington and Tehran are not presently holding talks.
Appearing on Fox News on Thursday, Leavitt said, “There are currently no negotiations happening,” while emphasizing that “all options remain on the table.”
The administration’s position comes after President Donald Trump said a day earlier that he has established no deadline for ending the conflict with Iran and is prepared to allow the confrontation to continue for as long as he believes necessary.
During an interview with Al Jazeera, Trump said he was “not in a hurry” to return to the negotiating table with Tehran, adding: “I have no time schedule, none.”
The president said the two principal forms of pressure Washington has employed against the Islamic Republic — economic measures and military force — had been “both effective.”
Trump also described Iran as facing an increasingly severe economic crisis, pointing to “massive inflation” and saying its economy was “falling apart.” He additionally accused the Iranian regime of “treating their people very badly, they are killing many, many protesters.”
On Thursday, Trump pushed back against reports claiming that he is attempting to arrange a meeting with Iranian officials to reach a new agreement. The president said it is Iran, rather than the United States, that is seeking a return to negotiations.
“Jonathan Hunt of FoxNews did a particularly inaccurate report on the Failing Islamic Republic of Iran. I don’t want to meet, they do. In fact, they are begging to make a deal. Bret Baier should straighten out his flunkies, for a change!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump subsequently posted another brief message, declaring, “Iran Is a Failing Nation!”
Efforts to reach a permanent agreement between Washington and Tehran remain at an impasse. Although U.S. military strikes against Iran continued until recently, the administration has increasingly turned its attention to a sweeping campaign of economic pressure. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday announced “Operation Economic Outcast,” an initiative aimed at further isolating Iran economically and choking off sources of revenue that sustain the regime.
The current pause in U.S. military strikes does not mean that Washington has ruled out renewed attacks. U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Monday that military action remains among the options available to the Trump administration.
“By no means are we foreclosing using kinetic strikes anywhere in the Strait of Hormuz or around Iran,” Hegseth told reporters.
Hegseth also argued that the Iranian regime cannot withstand the level of economic pressure the United States is now applying.
{Matzav.com}
