Washington, August 10, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
US President Donald Trump has said Washington is “only semi-negotiating” with Iran, indicating that he is prepared to let economic pressure on Tehran intensify rather than immediately ordering another military offensive, Axios reported.
“We are low keying it,” Trump told Axios during a brief phone call, saying Iran is “in very bad shape” economically.
The comments come amid uncertainty over efforts to resolve the situation surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route. According to the report, Iran, Oman and the US have negotiated an agreement governing maritime traffic through the strait, but the arrangement has remained pending for several days.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that Tehran and Muscat were “very close” to reaching an agreement on a temporary route for maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Xinhua, citing Iran’s official IRNA news agency.
However, Araghchi said on Sunday that Iran and the US were not currently engaged in negotiations. He maintained that talks could not resume unless Washington ends what Tehran considers violations of a recently signed memorandum of understanding.
Trump has previously issued strong warnings over the continued disruption of traffic through the strategic waterway. Earlier on Tuesday, he said Iran would be “hit very hard” if the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened “very soon”.
The US President had also said earlier that Washington was engaged in “very good discussions” with Iran, but Tehran denied that direct negotiations were taking place.
Trump previously warned Iran of a “last chance” and said the two sides were discussing reopening the strait, potentially within a day. Iranian officials have continued to deny that formal talks with Washington are underway.
The conflicting statements have added to uncertainty surrounding the future of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of the world’s fossil fuel supplies passes.
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