'Deal Or Total Surrender': Trump Doubles Down On Iran, Says Tehran Will Never Get Nuclear Weapon

Amid ongoing tensions between the US and Iran, US President Donald Trump on Monday accused Tehran of sending mixed signals on negotiations, claiming its leadership was privately seeking talks while publicly denying any engagement with Washington. He also reiterated that Iran would never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.

"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 said.

The US president also claimed that Iran's repeated assertions about controlling the Strait of Hormuz did not reflect the reality on the ground, arguing that the strategic waterway was effectively under US military control.

“They then go on to give their usual blather in saying, 'The Strait of Hormuz will be operated powerfully by them when it is already completely controlled by the United States Navy and our ‘Blockade’," he said.

Trump further claimed that no goods would enter or leave Iran without US approval unless a deal was reached.

“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.

Reaffirming his stance on Tehran's nuclear ambitions, Trump said, “IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!"

His remarks come as tensions between Washington and Tehran remain high over Iran's nuclear programme and regional security, even as both sides have indicated a willingness to pursue diplomacy through intermediaries.

The comments followed a statement by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, who said on Monday that Tehran was not currently engaged in talks with the United States and was instead holding discussions with Oman on establishing a temporary safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

Baghaei, however, said an understanding with Oman alone would not be enough to reopen the strategic waterway. He added that the situation would remain unchanged as long as what he described as continued US “aggression” persisted.