US President Donald Trump on Monday said any agreement with Iran would either be a “great and meaningful” deal or there would be no agreement at all, as negotiations aimed at formally ending the prolonged West Asia conflict continued amid global concerns over oil supplies and maritime security.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump asserted that discussions with Iran were still evolving and warned that Washington would not accept any arrangement that failed to meet its strategic objectives.
“The deal with Iran will either be a great and meaningful one, or there will be no deal,” Trump wrote, while dismissing criticism from political opponents and sceptics within his own Republican Party.
The US President accused critics of spreading misinformation about negotiations that had “not even been fully negotiated yet” and claimed many commentators “know nothing” about the ongoing diplomatic process.
Trump also renewed his attack on the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), negotiated under former US President Barack Obama.
Calling the agreement a “disaster”, Trump repeated his long-standing claim that the deal created a pathway for Iran to eventually develop nuclear weapons. Trump had withdrawn the United States from the accord in 2018 during his first term in office, reimposing sweeping sanctions on Tehran.
“It will be the exact opposite of the JCPOA disaster negotiated by the failed Obama administration,” Trump said, adding that he would not support any arrangement that weakened American strategic interests.
The remarks came amid continuing tensions across West Asia, where the conflict has disrupted shipping activity, pushed up crude oil prices and heightened concerns over global energy supplies.
Analysts said uncertainty surrounding the negotiations has already affected international markets, with investors closely monitoring developments involving Iran, Israel and maritime routes in the Gulf region.
Also read: Don’t rush into deal, there can be no mistakes: Trump
Iran denies imposing transit tolls in Hormuz
Meanwhile, Iran clarified on Monday that it was not imposing transit tolls on ships passing through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, after reports suggested commercial vessels were being asked to pay charges amid heightened regional tensions.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said any payments collected were linked to navigational and environmental protection services in the waterway.
“The services that are provided require the collection of certain fees,” Baqaei said during a weekly press briefing.
The clarification followed reports claiming Iran had tightened control over shipping movement through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy corridor through which nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies pass.
Shipping activity in the region has remained under pressure in recent months as military monitoring and security checks increased following the escalation in regional tensions.
Follow us
