Trump: Iran ‘has no choice’ but to negotiate

US President Donald Trump has said Iran would eventually have «no other choice» but to negotiate with Washington despite its current reluctance, as the military reported shooting down four Iranian drones and striking radar installations near the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump Defends Pace of Nuclear Talks

In an interview with NBC News, Trump said Iran had not yet accepted a proposed agreement because its leaders were «strong» and «proud,» but argued that circumstances would ultimately force Tehran to reach a deal.

“They’re strong, they’re proud, there are things they never thought they’d be doing that they’re going to have to do. They’ve got no choice, and it takes a little while,” the president told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker during a sit-down interview in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.

Trump defended the pace of the negotiations and dismissed criticism from those seeking a rapid breakthrough. He compared the situation to the Vietnam War, arguing that resolving a conflict of such magnitude requires patience.

“I’m moving very fast. I’m into three months. You know, Vietnam lasted 19 years. I’m into my third month, and all they do is say, ‘Whoa, when are you going to win?’ If I were a Democrat, nobody would be talking that way, but it doesn’t matter to me. I’ve gotten so used to it.”

Trump also reiterated previous claims that US military operations had significantly degraded Iran’s military capabilities, including drone factories, launch platforms and missile production facilities. However, he said Tehran still retains part of its arsenal, estimating that it maintains between 21 percent and 22 percent of its military capacity.

“The negotiations are at a deadlock and (US President Donald) Trump must break this deadlock,” Rezaei said, adding the ball was in Trump’s court.

“If he (Trump) wants to reach an agreement with Iran, this $24 billion is a test of trust that Iran wants to have with Trump – this is a test that America must pass and the path will be opened,” he said. “This is our own money, not America’s money.”

The United States and Iran have been exchanging drafts of a potential agreement through Pakistani mediators for several weeks, although the two sides have offered conflicting assessments of the talks.

While Tehran has said negotiations are stalled, Trump maintains that discussions are continuing and that a deal could be announced as early as this weekend.

US Military Reports New Confrontation

Separately, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Friday that its forces shot down four Iranian drones heading toward the Strait of Hormuz, describing them as an immediate threat to commercial shipping in the strategic waterway.

According to CENTCOM, US forces subsequently struck Iranian coastal radar installations in Goruk and on Qeshm Island to prevent further hostile activity.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran and follows several recent confrontations near the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime route through which a significant share of the world’s oil supply passes.

The latest episode adds to a series of military incidents involving U.S. and Iranian forces in and around the Strait of Hormuz over the past three weeks, despite Washington’s insistence that a ceasefire has remained in effect since April. EFE