Trump Hints at Secret Talks, Cites Call from Iran

President Donald Trump said on the 13th that Iran had contacted him first to pursue peace talks. Speaking at the White House, President Trump stated, "I received a call this morning from the right people," adding, "They want to work towards an agreement." However, he did not disclose the identity of the callers.

The remarks came shortly after the U.S. Navy blocked vessels entering and exiting Iranian ports, effectively halting the shipment of approximately 2 million barrels of Iranian crude oil daily. President Trump characterized Iran's attempts to control the strait as extortion, stressing, "We cannot allow one country to threaten or coerce the entire world." He also underscored the U.S.'s energy self-sufficiency, stating, "We have numerous ships currently heading our way to load American crude oil." He added, "We are not using the Strait of Hormuz, and in fact, we don't need it."

This contact follows the collapse of high-level negotiations held last weekend in Islamabad, Pakistan. The U.S. negotiation team, led by Vice President J.D. Vance, engaged in a 21-hour marathon session with the Iranian delegation but failed to narrow differences on key issues, including the nuclear program, before departing the negotiating table. President Trump stated he has not spoken directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping regarding the current conflict.