Trump Declares No Need for Iran Deal, Claims Control Over Its Funds and Strait

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that the United States no longer needs to reach an agreement with Iran. He asserted that Washington now controls Iranian funds worth hundreds of billions of dollars and the strait that Tehran owns, referring to the Strait of Hormuz. Trump stated on his "Truth Social" platform, "We don't need a deal with Iran. Those days are long gone. We have their money, hundreds of billions of dollars, and we have their strait too."

In the same post, Trump mentioned he had asked Vance to dedicate "full attention" to what he described as "massive corruption and crime" in cities and states run by Democrats, specifically naming Minnesota, California, and Illinois, along with other states. Trump characterized states where the majority of residents vote for Democrats as "disasters suffering from mismanagement and corruption," claiming "billions of dollars are stolen every month" and that addressing this alleged widespread criminal activity could quickly balance the U.S. budget.

Trump's announcement regarding Vance's tasks follows a Wednesday report by The Wall Street Journal, which stated the Vice President is considering direct face-to-face talks with Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary, Mohsen Rezaei, in an effort to end the war. According to the report, Trump had authorized Vance to lead negotiations with Tehran. The report indicated Vance sent a letter to Rezaei in late October requesting a meeting, with communications between the two sides still in early stages through intermediaries and allied nations.

The report linked Vance's negotiation assignment to Trump's assessment that the war has become a political burden for the Republican Party, negatively impacting midterm election results. Trump's statements come a day after he defended the war against Iran during a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, amidst public opposition to the war. During the ceremony, Trump praised U.S. forces, stating, "The courage and skill of our great American warriors have been exceptional by all measures," and affirmed that the war would end soon.

He added, "When this war ends, which it will soon, the entire world will be a safer and better place, more peaceful and free from the dangers we have had to endure." The U.S. President reiterated his accusation that Iran initiated the confrontation with the United States, claiming it "has been waging war on America since 1979." He also alleged that U.S. military operations aim to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons capability. The war began on February 28 with U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, resulting so far in the deaths of 23 U.S. soldiers and injuries to hundreds, according to U.S. Department of Defense figures.