Texas, United States (Viory) – U.S. President Donald Trump claimed Iran is “ready to fold up” as he predicted an end to the months-long conflict, while casting doubt on whether Tehran would honor any potential agreement with Washington.
Speaking at a Peterbilt facility in Denton, Texas, on Thursday, Trump said Iran “will never have a nuclear weapon and is ready to fold up,” adding that the United States would “win very easily right now.”
Trump also pointed to the U.S. naval blockade, claiming Iran had not been able to move a ship through the Strait of Hormuz in months.
But the U.S. president expressed skepticism about reaching a lasting agreement with Tehran.
“There’s a group of people that want that because they say you basically, you can’t make a deal with them that they’re gonna honor,” Trump said. “When you make a deal with them, it’s very possible that they won’t honor it.”
Trump said the conflict would end “one way or the other,” warning Iran it could face further consequences if it does not reach an agreement with Washington.
His remarks came less than a week after he rejected Iran’s latest proposal aimed at ending the fighting and restoring normal maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
Under Tehran’s proposal, Iran offered to reopen the strategic waterway within seven days if Washington lifted its naval blockade of Iranian ports, eased sanctions on Iranian oil sales, released frozen Iranian assets and observed a ceasefire that would include Lebanon. Nuclear negotiations would follow the reopening of the strait.
Trump rejected the proposal, saying Iran was seeking an agreement because it was under growing pressure. Washington has since expanded sanctions targeting Iran’s automotive and railway sectors as part of its economic campaign against Tehran.
Iran, meanwhile, has rejected demands that it surrender under U.S. pressure while maintaining that it remains open to negotiations.
In his address to the United Nations General Assembly last week, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused Trump of having a “bullying mentality” and said Iranians “will not bow to pressure.”
Pezeshkian said Tehran remained prepared for diplomacy but would not negotiate under threats or coercion.
The latest exchange underscores the continuing gap between Washington and Tehran despite renewed diplomatic efforts to end the conflict and resolve the standoff over the Strait of Hormuz.
