Trump says US is not satisfied with Iran deal talks

US President Donald Trump has said the United States is not yet satisfied with the terms of the deal being negotiated with Iran. Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, he said Tehran was intent on reaching an agreement, but added that it had not yet got there. He also repeated Washington's warning that strikes could resume if no deal is reached.

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Trump's comments came after Iranian state TV reported what it said were details of a draft agreement. Those reported details included reopening the Strait of Hormuz and the withdrawal of US forces from the region. The White House rejected the report as a complete fabrication.

Trump said he had instructed negotiators not to rush into a deal, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there had been some progress and some interest in the talks. The remarks underline that the negotiations remain unresolved despite signs of movement in recent days. Both sides had signalled progress late last week, prompting speculation that an announcement was close.

That expectation was later tempered, with Tehran saying a deal was not imminent. The latest comments suggest the two sides still have significant differences to bridge before any agreement can be announced. The talks matter because they are linked to a wider conflict that has already drawn in the United States, Iran and Israel.

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According to the supplied material, US and Israeli strikes against Iran on 28 February triggered fighting across the Middle East. Iran responded by attacking Israel and US-allied states in the Gulf, and the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed, sending global oil prices higher. A ceasefire was agreed on 8 April and has largely held, but negotiations to settle the conflict have stalled in recent weeks.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a central issue in the dispute because it is a major shipping route and any disruption can affect global energy markets. The reported Iranian draft details, if accurate, would also have major implications for the regional military balance, including the presence of US forces. But the White House has denied the report, and neither Trump nor Rubio gave details of the specific sticking points in the talks.

For now, the main question is whether the negotiators can narrow the gap in the coming hours and days. Rubio said progress could still be made, but Trump's language suggested the administration is prepared to walk away if the terms do not improve. What remains unclear is whether the reported draft has any basis in the talks, and whether the ceasefire and wider diplomatic track can hold if negotiations fail.

#Iran #UnitedStates #DonaldTrump #MarcoRubio #StraitofHormuz

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