US President Donald Trump on Wednesday warned Iran to ‘get smart soon’ as the talks between Washington and Tehran to end the war continue to be stuck in limbo. “Iran can’t get their act together. They don’t know how to sign a non-nuclear deal. They better get smart soon,” Trump said in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.
The post also had an AI-generated picture of Trump, in which the US President is seen holding a machine gun, while bombs explode in the background of what appears to be some location in Iran.
‘Iran in a state of collapse’
Trump’s Truth Social post came hours after he claimed on the platform that Iran has said it was in a state of collapse and wants the United States to open the while it sorts out its leadership.
“Iran has just informed us that they are in a “State of Collapse.” They want us to “Open the Hormuz Strait,” as soon as possible, as they try to figure out their leadership situation (Which I believe they will be able to do!). Thank you for your attention to this matter,” Trump said on Tuesday.
Trump is unhappy with the latest Iranian proposal on resolving the two-month war, a US official told Reuters, dampening hopes for a resolution of the conflict that has disrupted energy supplies, fueled inflation, and killed thousands of people.
First direct talks between US and Iran
The US and Iran held their on April 11 and 12. But despite the hours-long talks, the high-level delegations from both sides failed to reach a consensus on ending the war, which began on February 28.
What happened last week?
Last week, Iranian Foreign Minister had reignited hopes of a second round of talks between the two sides. However, Araghchi left Pakistan even before the US delegation reached the country. Following this, Trump canceled the scheduled trip to Pakistan by Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff and said that future negotiations would be handled by phone.
Why US and Iran can’t agree on a deal
Iran has insisted that any talks with the US can only resume after Washington lifts the naval blockade.
Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping corridor for the world’s oil, in response to the US and Israeli attacks on the country. After the first round of talks in Islamabad failed to end the stalemate, the US responded with a Navy blockade of Iranian shipping and further built up its military forces in the region, with three aircraft carriers in the Middle East for the first time in more than 20 years.
The naval blockade, along with the disagreement over the future of Iran’s nuclear programme and the continuing Israeli attacks in Lebanon, have been the sticking points that have stalled the talks between Washington and Tehran.
- The U.S. and Iran negotiations are currently at a standstill, primarily due to disagreements over Iran’s nuclear program and the naval blockade.
- Trump’s warning reflects a growing frustration with Iran’s inability to effectively negotiate and resolve the ongoing conflict.
- The situation in the Middle East remains volatile, with significant implications for global energy supplies and geopolitical stability.
