As the Islamabad forum collapsed after hours of deliberation, US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the high-stakes talks with Iran broke down over Tehran’s refusal to curb its nuclear programme.
In a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump described the negotiations, facilitated through efforts involving Pakistan, as long and intense, stretching close to 20 hours.
Follow live updates from the West Asia War.
Despite what Trump described as progress on several fronts, he said the negotiations ultimately faltered on what he called the “only point that really mattered” — Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
"The meeting went well, most points were agreed to, but the only point that really mattered, NUCLEAR, was not," read one of his two lenghty posts on the matter. "I could go into great detail, and talk about much that has been gotten but, there is only one thing that matters — IRAN IS UNWILLING TO GIVE UP ITS NUCLEAR AMBITIONS."
"In many ways, the points that were agreed to are better than us continuing our Military Operations to conclusion, but all of those points don’t matter compared to allowing Nuclear Power to be in the hands of such volatile, difficult, unpredictable people," he added.
Also Read | Donald Trump orders Strait of Hormuz blockade, warns any Iranian firing at US could be ‘blown to hell’
The US President informed that he had been briefed by Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner on discussions held in Islamabad.
US representatives, Trump noted, held discussions with senior Iranian officials including Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, Abbas Araghchi and Ali Bagheri.
While the tone of the talks was “respectful,” Trump said Tehran remained “unyielding” on abandoning its nuclear programme.
"My three Representatives, as all of this time went by, became, not surprisingly, very friendly and respectful of Iran’s Representatives, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, Abbas Araghchi, and Ali Bagheri, but that doesn’t matter because they were very unyielding as to the single most important issue and, as I have always said, right from the beginning, and many years ago, IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON," he wrote on his own social media platform.
He said the United States Navy would begin operations to secure the waterway, including clearing suspected mines and intercepting vessels. Trump also warned of a blockade targeting ships entering or exiting the strait, particularly those allegedly paying tolls to Iran.
Also Read | A panicked race for barrels grips the global oil market
"Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz. At some point, we will reach an “ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO IN, ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO OUT” basis, but Iran has not allowed that to happen by merely saying, “There may be a mine out there somewhere,” that nobody knows about but them," he wrote in one of the two posts that addressed the recent failed talks and its consequences for Tehran.
Calling the situation “world extortion,” he signalled that US forces would take a hard line against any threats to commercial shipping, adding that other countries could join the effort.
"THIS IS WORLD EXTORTION, and Leaders of Countries, especially the United States of America, will never be extorted. I have also instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas. We will also begin destroying the mines the Iranians laid in the Straits. Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL," his post read.
The US President further informed that the "blockade will begin shortly."
In a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump described the negotiations, facilitated through efforts involving Pakistan, as long and intense, stretching close to 20 hours.
Follow live updates from the West Asia War.
Despite what Trump described as progress on several fronts, he said the negotiations ultimately faltered on what he called the “only point that really mattered” — Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
"The meeting went well, most points were agreed to, but the only point that really mattered, NUCLEAR, was not," read one of his two lenghty posts on the matter. "I could go into great detail, and talk about much that has been gotten but, there is only one thing that matters — IRAN IS UNWILLING TO GIVE UP ITS NUCLEAR AMBITIONS."
"In many ways, the points that were agreed to are better than us continuing our Military Operations to conclusion, but all of those points don’t matter compared to allowing Nuclear Power to be in the hands of such volatile, difficult, unpredictable people," he added.
Also Read | Donald Trump orders Strait of Hormuz blockade, warns any Iranian firing at US could be ‘blown to hell’
The US President informed that he had been briefed by Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner on discussions held in Islamabad.
US representatives, Trump noted, held discussions with senior Iranian officials including Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, Abbas Araghchi and Ali Bagheri.
While the tone of the talks was “respectful,” Trump said Tehran remained “unyielding” on abandoning its nuclear programme.
"My three Representatives, as all of this time went by, became, not surprisingly, very friendly and respectful of Iran’s Representatives, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, Abbas Araghchi, and Ali Bagheri, but that doesn’t matter because they were very unyielding as to the single most important issue and, as I have always said, right from the beginning, and many years ago, IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON," he wrote on his own social media platform.
US signals blockade, mine-clearing in Strait of Hormuz
Following the collapse of talks, Trump outlined an escalation in US posture around the Strait of Hormuz, accusing Iran of failing to keep the critical shipping lane open and creating uncertainty by suggesting the presence of naval mines.He said the United States Navy would begin operations to secure the waterway, including clearing suspected mines and intercepting vessels. Trump also warned of a blockade targeting ships entering or exiting the strait, particularly those allegedly paying tolls to Iran.
Also Read | A panicked race for barrels grips the global oil market
"Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz. At some point, we will reach an “ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO IN, ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO OUT” basis, but Iran has not allowed that to happen by merely saying, “There may be a mine out there somewhere,” that nobody knows about but them," he wrote in one of the two posts that addressed the recent failed talks and its consequences for Tehran.
Calling the situation “world extortion,” he signalled that US forces would take a hard line against any threats to commercial shipping, adding that other countries could join the effort.
"THIS IS WORLD EXTORTION, and Leaders of Countries, especially the United States of America, will never be extorted. I have also instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas. We will also begin destroying the mines the Iranians laid in the Straits. Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL," his post read.
The US President further informed that the "blockade will begin shortly."
