Trump’s clunky attempts to force Iran back to the negotiating table have been bluntly rebuffed as the clock ticks down on the ceasefire.
The 79-year-old president posted a tirade on Truth Social on Sunday morning, warning Iran of dire consequences if they did not take the deal the United States has put on the table.
“We’re offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL and I hope they take it,” he wrote. “If they don’t the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant and every single Bridge, in Iran! NO MORE MR NICE GUY!”
The message was received in Tehran, where the Iranian official news agency, IRNA, posted a statement saying the country would not be attending the negotiations that were expected to begin Monday night, ahead of the ceasefire deadline on Wednesday.
“Iran stated that its absence from the second round of talks stems from what it called Washington’s excessive demands, unrealistic expectations, constant shifts in stance, repeated contradictions, and the ongoing naval blockade, which it considers a breach of the ceasefire,” IRNA wrote.
The statement was not attributed to a specific official or government figure.
The White House did not immediately respond to request for comment.
The Iranian Tasnim news agency reported that the sticking point for the negotiations is Trump’s decision to continue its blockade of the Iranian port.
“The Iranian negotiating team has underscored that as long as US President Donald Trump’s declaration regarding a naval blockade of Iran remains in place, there will be no negotiations,” the agency reported.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei wrote on X on Sunday that the blockade was a war crime.
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