WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said the United States was “only semi-negotiating” with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, signaling that Washington was relying on economic pressure rather than preparing an immediate new military offensive as the vital waterway remains largely closed to commercial shipping.
“We are low-keying it,” Trump said in a brief phone interview with Axios on Sunday. “We are only semi-negotiating with them. We are just watching Iran with its huge inflation and the fact they have no money.”
Trump said Iran was in poor economic condition and argued that U.S. pressure, including a naval blockade, was worsening the situation. He did not issue a new threat of military action in the interview, according to Axios.
The comments came as efforts to reach an arrangement governing maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz appeared to stall. An agreement involving Iran, Oman and the United States had been under discussion for several days, according to Axios.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran and Oman were close to an agreement on a temporary route for maritime traffic through the strait, Iran's official IRNA news agency reported. But Araghchi said no negotiations were currently taking place between Tehran and Washington and that direct talks could not resume unless the United States stopped violating a memorandum of understanding recently reached between the two countries.
Iran has also set conditions for fully reopening the waterway. Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr, the outgoing secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said Saturday that the strait would remain closed until Washington changed its policies. His demands included an end to military operations against Iran and its allies, lifting the U.S. naval blockade and sanctions, withdrawal of U.S. forces from around Iran, compensation for war damage and the release of frozen Iranian assets.
Trump rejected Iran's call for compensation and said Monday that he had instructed U.S. representatives to seek compensation from Iran for Americans killed or seriously wounded in conflicts involving Tehran.
The Strait of Hormuz is a major global energy transit route, and its prolonged disruption has added pressure to international oil markets. Washington and Tehran have previously held negotiations aimed at ending their conflict and restoring maritime traffic, but disagreements over the strait and broader security issues have repeatedly complicated efforts to reach a durable agreement.
As of Monday, Trump was describing the U.S. approach as limited negotiations combined with continued economic pressure, while Iranian officials said direct U.S.-Iran talks were not underway.
