US President Donald Trump says he is continuing to consider renewed military strikes on Iran while expecting negotiations with Tehran to resume this week, as diplomatic efforts continue alongside threats of further escalation.
Speaking to Axios on Sunday, Trump said he was “always thinking about” resuming strikes against Iran. He also said he expected further talks during the week and claimed Tehran wanted an agreement, although not on terms acceptable to his administration.
Qatar Continues Mediation Efforts
Separately, Axios cited a US official as saying Qatari mediators were continuing shuttle diplomacy in an effort to reach an agreement between Washington and Tehran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, meanwhile, said Tehran remained prepared to negotiate while also being ready to confront any renewed aggression, even if it developed into a devastating wider war.
Araghchi said on Sunday that Iran was “fully prepared for the possibility of the war resuming”, adding that Tehran’s position remained firm in confronting any new aggression while simultaneously remaining open to diplomacy. He said the choice between those paths ultimately rested with Trump.
Trump Claims Record Oil Movement Through Hormuz
Trump also claimed that the United States had facilitated a record amount of oil through the Strait of Hormuz overnight, saying the volume exceeded levels seen before the outbreak of the war.
He pointed to what he described as a sharp increase in oil traffic through the strait amid continuing regional tensions. Axios reported Trump as saying that more than 20 million barrels had passed through the waterway over the weekend, while a US defence official put the Friday night figure at 22 million barrels.
Washington Expands Economic Pressure on Iran
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said China had significantly reduced its assistance to Iran and described Washington’s effort to economically isolate Tehran as a phased campaign covering cryptocurrency, aviation and maritime transport.
Bessent also claimed in remarks reported by Fox News that the US military had allowed more than one billion barrels of oil to leave through the Strait of Hormuz while allowing none for Iran. The assertion forms part of Washington’s broader economic pressure campaign against Tehran.
