US President Donald Trump is questioning why Iran has not “capitulated” despite an increased American military presence in the Middle East, his special envoy Steve Witkoff has said.
Speaking to Fox News, Witkoff said Trump was “curious” about Tehran’s position as talks continue over Iran’s nuclear programme.
“I don’t want to use the word ‘frustrated’… because he understands he’s got plenty of alternatives, but he’s curious as to why they haven’t… I don’t want to use the word ‘capitulated’, but why they haven’t capitulated,” Witkoff said.
He added: “Why, under this sort of pressure, with the amount of sea power and naval power that we have over there, why haven’t they come to us and said, ‘We profess that we don’t want a weapon, so here’s what we’re prepared to do?’”
Nuclear talks and US warning
The US and its European allies believe Iran could be moving closer to building a nuclear weapon. Tehran denies this.
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Indirect talks between US and Iranian officials were held in Geneva on 17 February. Both sides said progress had been made. Oman, which is mediating the talks, has said the next round is set to take place in Geneva on Thursday.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, told CBS News that there was still a chance to resolve the dispute through diplomacy “based on a win-win game”. He also said Iran was preparing “a draft of a possible agreement” to present to Witkoff.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaks during a bilateral meeting between Switzerland and Iran, in Geneva, Switzerland. (Photo: AP)
Despite signs of progress, Trump said last week that the world would know “over the next, probably, 10 days” whether a deal would be reached or whether the US would take military action.
US military build-up
In recent weeks, the US has increased its military presence near Iran. Aircraft carriers, including the USS Gerald R Ford and USS Abraham Lincoln, along with destroyers and fighter jets, have been deployed to the region.
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This photo provided by the US Navy shows sailors preparing a Boeing EA-18G Growler on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Indian Ocean. (US Navy via AP)
Witkoff suggested that this pressure should have pushed Iran to make clearer commitments.
Protests inside Iran
At the same time, protests have taken place at several universities in Tehran and other cities, the BBC reported.
Footage verified by the BBC shows students marching at Sharif University of Technology, where clashes broke out between anti-government protesters and government supporters.
A woman participates in a demonstration in support of Iran’s exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi, File)
Other demonstrations were reported at the Iran University of Science and Technology, Khajeh Nasir Toosi University and Ferdowsi University of Mashhad.
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In one verified video, protesters raised the Lion and Sun flag, a symbol used before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and chanted “Javid Shah” (“long live the king”). In another, pro-government supporters were seen burning US and Israeli flags.
Students have been gathering to remember thousands of people reported killed during last month’s unrest.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (Hrana) said it had confirmed more than 7,000 deaths, including protesters, children and government-affiliated individuals. Iranian authorities have given a lower figure, saying more than 3,100 people were killed, many of them security personnel or bystanders.
Trump has previously voiced support for Iranian protesters, at one point saying that “help is on its way”.
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Talks are expected to continue as both sides weigh diplomacy against the risk of further escalation.