Iran-USA, agreement and sanctions: what Trump said today

The President of the United States reiterated his determination to reach a favorable agreement to end the war with Iran, arguing that Tehran’s possible strategy, aimed at delaying the time to obtain more advantageous conditions, will not be successful: Trump “does not care about the mid-term elections”, the White House is in no hurry to close the issue even if the vote goes in November. “They thought they were going to be able to rush me, you know? ‘Let’s wait, he’s got the midterm elections,'” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting. “I don’t care about the midterm elections. Look what happened last night, it was a prelude to the midterm elections. People understand,” he added, referring to the victory of the candidate he supported in the Republican primaries for the Senate in Texas, Ken Paxton.

Trump also cited the resumption of internet access in Iran as a sign of the regime’s weakening position, arguing that “the entire economic system is in crisis.” “They simply want to make a deal,” he said. “I don’t think they have a choice.”

In a brief telephone conversation with PBS News, Trump instead declared that Washington will not grant any sanctions relief to Iran in exchange for giving up nuclear material. “No, no, absolutely not. No easing of sanctions, no,” he said.

A few hours earlier, Iranian state TV had broadcast a draft memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran to end the war and restore commercial navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. According to Tehran, among the main points, the US has committed to easing restrictions on Iranian maritime traffic, as well as withdrawing part of its military forces from the areas surrounding Iran. In exchange, Tehran would restore commercial traffic in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman to pre-conflict levels within a month. The Strait of Hormuz, however, would not be completely reopened: controls and transit management would remain entrusted to Iran in coordination with Oman, while US military ships would be excluded from the agreement.

But the White House denied it very quickly. “No one should believe what Iranian state television broadcasts,” the Rapid Response account, close to President Donald Trump’s administration, declared on X, rejecting the hypothesis that a preliminary agreement is underway between Washington and Tehran.