Iran-US war latest: Trump declares ‘I’m winning a war, by a lot’ as he vows not to lift naval blockade

Trump said October 7 attacks on Israel had ‘added to my lifelong opinion that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon’
In a flurry of lengthy online rants, Donald Trump said that he was “winning a War, BY A LOT” on Monday, shifting focus to the strengths of the US military as hopes of a peace deal begin to fade .

After telling Bloomberg that he would likely not agree to a ceasefire extension, the US president argued that Iran’s navy has been “completely wiped out”, taking aim at ‘fake news’ media and ‘the Democrats’ for downplaying his leverage.

Trump said he was “under no pressure whatsoever” to make a deal with Iran, and doubled down in saying that the US military blockade of Iranian vessels would stay in place “until there is a ‘DEAL’”.

Earlier, sources told Reuters that Pakistan’s top negotiator had told Trump that the blockade was proving an obstacle for talks with Iran, and said that Trump had agreed to take the advice under consideration.

With the ceasefire set to expire on Tuesday night unless a deal is made, Pakistan was making security arrangements for the hoped arrival of negotiators.

JD Vance was expected to head to Islamabad on Monday, but contradictory reports said he was still in the US and expected to fly out tomorrow, while Iranian sources said Tehran had still not decided whether to attend.

Watch: US Marines board Iranian-flagged vessel after navy disables ship
The US military said last Monday it would block shipping traffic in and out of Iran's ports.

It’s an issue that remains central to negotiations aimed at ending the war, with Iran drawing a red line and saying it will not submit to force.

Trump says he aims to put pressure on Iran by stopping it from making money by selectively opening the Strait for a reported fee.

He said the goal was to let “all or nothing” pass.

Critics say the blockade has forced up oil and gas prices again, and is exacerbating tensions with Iran, making peace talks less likely.

The UN’s maritime agency also says no country has a legal right to block shipping in straits used for international trade.

A week on, and US Centcom says they have told 27 vessels to turn around or return to an Iranian port since the beginning of the blockade.

Matters came to a head on Sunday when the US attacked and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman trying to escape the blockade.

It is not exactly clear where the blockade is, as that information has not been made public.

The US is likely monitoring ships leaving Iranian ports and intercepting them east of the Strait of Hormuz, as they exit.

US ships have been spotted at the eastern edge of the Gulf of Oman.

Watch: Cruise ships escape through Strait of Hormuz and will carry passengers within weeks
Trump officials flip-flop on whether Vance is leading Iran talks
Top administration officials, including President Donald Trump himself, appeared unclear as to whether Vice President JD Vance would lead peace talks with Iranian officials in Pakistan this week, less than 24 hours before the U.S.

negotiating team are supposedly due in Islamabad.

Vance’s participation in the upcoming talks has been in question for days after the last round, helmed by the vice president, failed to reach an agreement to end the war.

Tuesday is the two-week deadline for the U.S.-Iran ceasefire.

As uncertainty continues to undermine hopes of a diplomatic resolution to the war, here’s the latest:
Trump says he won't be rushed on an Iran deal
In an apparent follow-up to his last - both coming within a couple of minutes of each other - Trump says he won’t be rushed into making a deal with Iran.

“I’m not going to let them rush the United States into making a Deal that is not as good as it could have been,” he writes, taking aim at ‘The Democrats’.

“I read the Fake News saying that I am under “pressure” to make a Deal.

THIS IS NOT TRUE!

I am under no pressure whatsoever, although, it will all happen, relatively quickly!

Time is not my adversary, the only thing that matters is that we finally, after 47 years, straighten out the MESS that other Presidents let happen because they didn’t have the Courage or Foresight to do what had to be done with respect to Iran.”
He maintains that all is going to plan, adding: “This is being perfectly executed, on the scale of Venezuela, just a bigger, more complex operation.

The result will be the same.”
Trump promises world peace, attacks predecessors in latest rant
With just hours until the ceasefire agreement between Iran and the US expires, Donald Trump is back on social media, attacking his critics.

In a lengthy rant, he criticises the ‘Iran nuclear deal’ of his predecessors and lays into the ‘fake news’ media for praising it.

“The DEAL that we are making with Iran will be FAR BETTER than the JCPOA, commonly referred to as “The Iran Nuclear Deal,” penned by Barack Hussein Obama and Sleepy Joe Biden, one of the Worst Deals ever made having to do with the Security of our Country,” he writes.

Trump concludes his post saying: “If a Deal happens under “TRUMP,” it will guarantee Peace, Security, and Safety, not only for Israel and the Middle East, but for Europe, America, and everywhere else.

It will be something that the entire World will be proud of, instead of the years of Embarrassment and Humiliation that we have been forced to suffer due to incompetent and cowardly leadership!”
The latest: Iran peace talks hang in the balance as Trump says ceasefire extension now highly unlikely
Donald Trump said an extension of the fragile two week ceasefire with Iran is now “highly unlikely” as peace talks in Pakistan hang in the balance.

Iran has yet to commit to negotiations in Islamabad, saying it won’t attend unless the US Navy lifts its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

There was also confusion over whether US Vice President JD Vance was on his way to the talks.

The ceasefire deal runs out on Wednesday evening and Trump told Bloomberg he did not think it would be extended, nor would he be rushed into “making a bad deal”.

In full, the latest on the US-Iran conflict:
Iran peace talks hang in the balance as Trump says ceasefire extension unlikely
The key issues preventing Iran and the US from striking a deal
The ceasefire agreement between Iran and the US appears to be in jeopardy, as Tehran refused to join a second round of talks, which mediators hoped would begin this week.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, said his government had no plans to resume talks for now after US forces seized an Iranian-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman.

Washington had hoped to resume negotiations in Pakistan shortly before the two-week ceasefire expires on Wednesday, but Mr Baghaei said the US was “not serious” about peace, demonstrated by its “aggressive acts” and “unrealistic positions”.

With the talks in question, these are the main sticking points causing friction:
The key sticking points between US and Iran ahead of talks
Trump pours cold water on hopes of ceasefire extension
In a call with Bloomberg, Donald Trump said it was “highly unlikely” he would agree to extending the ceasefire with Iran if a deal cannot be reached.

The ceasefire is set to expire on Wednesday at 1am BST, midnight GMT.

Iran is still to confirm whether or not it plans to attend talks in Islamabad, and JD Vance is reportedly still in the US.

Trump told Bloomberg he would “not be rushed into making a bad deal” and said “we’ve got all the time in the world”.

Iran’s administration is putting out similar messages, that they will not respond to coercion or agree to ‘maximalist’ demands from the US.

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