Trump says ‘only semi-negotiating’ with Iran, media

Reuters/CCTV. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that “we are only semi-negotiating” with Iran, noting that he is prepared to allow economic pressure on Iran to mount — as opposed to ordering a new military offensive, Axios reported.

“We are low keying it,” Trump told Axios during a brief phone call, arguing that Iran “is in very bad shape” economically.

The report noted that an agreement governing traffic in the Strait of Hormuz was negotiated among Iran, Oman and the United States, and “has been pending for a few days now”.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Saturday that Iran and Oman are “very close” to an agreement on the designation of a temporary route for maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran’s official news agency IRNA.

Araghchi said on Sunday that the resumption of negotiations between Iran and the United States would not be possible unless the latter ends its violation of the MoU recently signed between the two countries.

Araghchi made the statement while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event in Tehran, stressing that no negotiations are currently underway between the two sides.