President Donald Trump said on August 24 that Washington is relying on economic pressure rather than new military strikes to force Iran to reach a deal, according to an interview with Axios on Sunday.
“We’re lowering the temperature,” Trump said, referring to a more cautious approach after months of conflict. He stressed that Washington is only “half negotiating” with Tehran while monitoring the impact of the war on Iran’s economy.
According to Trump, Iran is doing “very poorly” financially, with high inflation and difficulty paying its military. He said the U.S. naval blockade imposed since April has increased this pressure.
The U.S. president also noted that oil prices are currently just above $75 per barrel, easing the economic impact on American consumers. “It’s going to be fine. It’s always like that. It’s like a chess game,” he said.
Trump’s remarks come as Oman-mediated talks on reopening the Strait of Hormuz to shipping appear close to a breakthrough. Iran’s Foreign Ministry said earlier this month that the negotiations had reached their “final stage,” with both sides near agreement on coordinates for a new sea lane through the strait.
Tehran has stressed it will not fully reopen the waterway until the U.S. “adjusts its behavior,” including demands to lift the naval blockade, end military actions, and pay war reparations.
The ceasefire reached in June collapsed a few weeks later over disputes about control of the strait, and fighting resumed. Since then, Iran has continued to launch sporadic attacks on U.S. bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan, while the Houthi forces in Yemen, allied with Tehran, declared their own naval blockade on Saudi Arabia last month.
Several recent reports suggest tensions between Washington and Israel over the pace of U.S. efforts to de-escalate fighting on multiple fronts, including in Gaza and Lebanon.
