Trump Declares No Need for Iran Deal, Citing Seized Funds

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he has instructed Vice President J.D. Vance to focus exclusively on "rampant corruption and crime in Democrat-run cities and states" across the United States, rather than pursuing negotiations for an agreement to end the war with Tehran. Trump stated on his platform, "Truth Social," that "We do not need an agreement with Iran. Those days are long gone. Their money, hundreds of billions of dollars, is with us, and their oil is under our control!"

This declaration follows a Wall Street Journal report from the previous day, which indicated Vance was considering face-to-face talks with a senior Iranian security official. The report also suggested Trump had informed aides and others that he was open to Vance resuming discussions with Tehran and had authorized him to negotiate. Such a personal meeting would be an unusual step.

Trump's statements come in the wake of significant losses for the Republican Party in the recent midterm elections, which resulted in Democrats regaining control of Congress. The anger surrounding the war with Iran, which has driven up fuel prices in the U.S., is seen as a key factor that alienated voters from the Republican Party. Vance was among Republicans who blamed the war with Iran for the party's electoral defeats, asserting that many Trump supporters shifted to Democrats due to the war and the administration's policies. He noted that a primary demand from these defecting voters was a change in relations with Israel.