Iran’s Rezaei Says Trump ‘Caught Between War and Talks’
TEHRAN, IRAN — WEB DESK: Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei has claimed that US President Donald Trump is caught between pursuing negotiations with Tehran and continuing military confrontation, as diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between the two countries remain unresolved.
Rezaei made the remarks during a meeting in Tehran with Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev, saying Iran had already communicated its conditions to the United States but Washington had yet to make a decision.
The Iranian security official said Trump was caught in what he described as a “quagmire” in which he could neither move forward with negotiations nor settle on continued military action.
Rezaei also accused Washington of increasing military and economic pressure on Iran while failing to reach a decision over Tehran’s proposals. His comments represent Iran’s assessment of the US position and have not been independently confirmed by Washington.
The remarks come as Qatar continues efforts to facilitate indirect communication between Tehran and Washington. Diplomatic contacts have focused on reducing tensions and exploring conditions under which negotiations could move forward.
Iranian officials have said Tehran has presented a seven-point proposal through Qatari mediation and is awaiting a formal US response. The proposals include conditions related to the Strait of Hormuz as well as broader disputes between the two countries.
Tehran has maintained that its position on its nuclear programme has not changed, while negotiations over the strategically important Strait of Hormuz remain a central part of diplomatic efforts.
Separate current reporting indicates that mediation efforts have yet to produce a major breakthrough, with significant differences remaining between Washington and Tehran.
Rezaei also said Iran intended to maintain its regional position and argued that Washington’s long-term influence in the region would decline.
During the meeting, Mustafayev described relations between Azerbaijan and Iran as friendly and rejected speculation that Azerbaijani territory had been made available for operations against Iran.
The latest statements underline the continuing gap between the two sides despite ongoing diplomatic contacts, leaving the direction of US-Iran negotiations uncertain.
