President Donald Trump waves as he walks from Air Force One to Marine One. (Photo: AP)
United States President Donald Trump said Sunday that he’s content to let economic pressure on Iran keep building rather than order a return to military strikes, even as Tehran continues to hold up a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking to Axios, Trump said, “We are low-keying it,” adding, “We are only semi-negotiating with them.”
Just a week after reportedly weighing a return to full-scale combat, Trump struck a notably calmer tone, betting that Iran’s collapsing economy will do the work that bombs might have.
President Donald Trump gestures as he walks from Air Force One to Marine One. (Photo: AP)
Speaking to Axios on the phone, Trump said the US is “only semi-negotiating” with Iran, adding that Washington is content to watch the country struggle under inflation and empty coffers.
Is the pressure campaign working?
Trump argued Iran’s economy is buckling, pointing to the toll of the US naval blockade on the regime’s ability to even pay its soldiers. He noted that falling oil prices just above $75 a barrel mean American consumers aren’t feeling much pinch from the ongoing conflict.
Trump compared the standoff to a long game of strategy, confident that it would “work out,” as it always does.
What’s holding up the Strait of Hormuz deal
A traffic agreement among Iran, Oman, and the US which would give Tehran partial control over strait traffic for the first time has reportedly been ready for days. Mediators from Qatar and Pakistan initially expected an announcement earlier in the week, but momentum has since stalled.
Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, added fresh terms on Saturday for reopening the strait well beyond what was in the Oman agreement.
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As per an Axios report, Zolghadr said the US must stop threatening or insulting Iran, permanently halt military action against Iran and its regional allies, lift the naval blockade, and pull forces back from the area, alongside demands for war reparations, sanctions relief, and access to frozen funds.
US President Donald Trump and Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. (AI generated video)
A diplomat involved in mediation reportedly described the statement as a sign of internal political jockeying in Tehran.
US officials say Trump was close to ordering renewed strikes a week ago but was talked into holding off, with one official suggesting continued fighting lets Iran’s regime dodge accountability for the economic damage.
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Meanwhile, roughly 8 million barrels of oil reportedly continue to move through the strait’s southern lane during the night in coordination with the US military.
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Vice President JD Vance told Fox News that the conflict is far from resolved, saying the US remains “in the middle of the game” while applying diplomatic, economic, and military tools towards the best outcome for Americans.
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President Donald Trump waves as he walks from Air Force One to Marine One. (Photo: AP) 
