US President Donald Trump on Monday accused Iran’s leadership of being “unbelievably duplicitous” and claimed that Tehran was privately seeking talks with Washington while publicly denying that any negotiations were taking place.
On Truth Social, Trump alleged that Iranian leaders requested a meeting and begun discussions, even as they publicly insisted they were only engaging with Oman.
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“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.
Trump also claimed that the US had complete control over the strategically important Strait of Hormuz and dismissed Iranian claims that it controlled the waterway.
He said the strait was “already completely controlled by the United States Navy” and referred to what he called the US “Blockade” or the “United States Wall of Steel.”
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“Nothing gets through to Iran, unless we want it to, and nothing will get through, unless a deal, or total surrender, is accomplished,” he said.
The US president also claimed that Washington was embroiled in efforts to resolve the a long-running problem caused by Iran, regardless of Tehran’s public position.
“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,” Trump said.
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Last week, Trump said the US paused plans for fresh strikes on Iran after being told that the parameters of a deal to end the five-month-old unprovokes war had been agreed.
The US President claimed the US was “locked and loaded” for a military response but decided to hold off after Iran and several Gulf countries requested more time to finalise a deal.
He said the proposed agreement would include the “immediate, complete, and total” reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat. Trump also claimed Israel supported the decision to delay military action, saying the attack had been cancelled for now, subject to a deal being reached.