U.S. President Donald Trump points to himself. Reuters-Yonhap
With the ceasefire between the United States and Iran effectively broken, Washington has intensified psychological warfare aimed at stoking internal divisions. U.S. President Donald Trump claimed Iran had been “militarily defeated” while reiterating that he is in direct talks with Iran’s leadership. Tehran, by contrast, accused the United States of having reached a dead end with no room to retreat. As U.S. attacks on Iran continue, Iran has warned it will respond with an “unexpected plan,” raising the prospect of further escalation.
In an interview Sunday (local time) with journalist Sharyl Attkisson on the U.S. outlet Full Measure, Trump said Iran “has been militarily defeated,” adding that “Iran may not admit it themselves.” He also said he was “in direct talks with Iran’s leadership,” adding, “We’ve had very good talks with Iran over the past 24 hours, and there is a very high probability of reaching an agreement.”
Earlier, Trump suspended “Project Freedom,” an initiative to help commercial ships trapped in the Strait of Hormuz escape, just one day after its launch. On the same day, U.S. online outlet Axios reported that “the United States is close to signing a one-page memorandum of understanding (MOU) to end the war with Iran and resolve the issues.” Trump also wrote on Truth Social, “In light of the enormous military success we have achieved in operations against Iran, and the significant progress made toward a complete and final agreement with Iranian representatives, we have reached a mutual agreement.”
Tehran, however, took a different stance. Mohsen Rezaei, a former commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and a military adviser to the Supreme Leader, told Al Mayadeen, “The United States has reached a dead end and cannot retreat.” He stressed, “The U.S. attempted a failed military coup in Iran, and we have halted all negotiations with Washington. We are trying to act within the framework of international law, but they are acting outside of it.”
The United States is demanding that Iran hand over not only highly enriched but all enriched nuclear material. According to The Wall Street Journal, Washington has presented sweeping demands including the dismantlement of Iran’s Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear facilities and the transfer of all enriched nuclear material. The U.S. conditions also include strict limits on Iran’s nuclear activities, long-term or permanent restrictions on enrichment, and a verification regime with penalties for violations.
U.S. negotiators are also said to have proposed the release of $20 billion in frozen Iranian funds and the easing of sanctions in exchange for the transfer of Iran’s highly enriched uranium.
Meanwhile, the United States has continued its strikes on Iranian oil tankers. The industry broadly views the latest strikes as a sign that the ceasefire between the two countries has effectively ended. According to Fars News Agency, a senior commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy said Iran would respond to any attack with an “unexpected plan.” The political deputy commander of the Revolutionary Guard Navy said, “We will respond to potential enemy attacks with an unimaginable plan,” adding, “President Trump has failed on all fronts, including regime change, uranium transfer and control of the Strait of Hormuz.”