Trump Says Iran Should Surrender as Nuclear Deal Talks Stall

U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that Iran is unlikely to accept the agreement he considers necessary to end the war with the United States, insisting Tehran must surrender and abandon any path toward developing a nuclear weapon.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said Iran was “not going to make” the type of deal he believes is required. He reiterated that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remains the central objective of the U.S. campaign.

Trump also rejected the possibility of extending an interim U.S.-Iran agreement reached in June. The memorandum called for an immediate and permanent halt to military operations and committed both sides to negotiating a final agreement within 60 days, with an extension possible by mutual consent.

However, the arrangement quickly collapsed. Trump declared the agreement over on July 7, while Iran’s foreign ministry said it was suspended a week later. Monday marked 60 days since the memorandum was signed, with negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program and other issues still stalled.

Earlier Monday, Trump told Fox News that Iran “should put up the white flag of surrender,” signaling little willingness to compromise.

Tensions have also intensified over the Strait of Hormuz. Oman and Iran have been holding talks aimed at restoring commercial shipping through the strategically important waterway, which handled around 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies before U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran began in late February.

Trump sharply warned Oman against obstructing U.S. objectives. Later, he told reporters that Oman had not “behaved very well” but said Washington could handle the situation easily.

Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have pushed fuel prices higher, increasing pressure on Trump to resolve the conflict as November’s U.S. midterm elections approach. Trump, however, denied that electoral considerations were influencing his Iran strategy.

In a Truth Social post, Trump again emphasized that his primary goal remains ensuring Iran cannot acquire a nuclear weapon in any form.