U.S. President Donald Trump stated on June 22 (local time) that negotiations with Iran are progressing well, while reiterating that he could take military action if Iran fails to keep its promises.
Meeting with reporters at the White House that day, President Trump said regarding the negotiations with Iran, "We are doing very well in terms of reaching a fair and reasonable deal."
He added, "If Iran does not keep its promises or act properly, I will do what I have to do."
This is interpreted as a signal that he could resort to pressure, including military action, if the negotiations stall or collapse.
However, by using the relatively tempered phrase "what I have to do," he refrained from making an explicit threat of attack against Iran.
President Trump stated, "As long as Iran respects us, there will be no problem."
This serves as an indirect warning not to make unreasonable demands or engage in deviant behavior during the negotiation process.
"Negotiations are ongoing, and we will see how everything plays out," he added. "But the two principles are open straits and a country that cannot have nuclear weapons."
President Trump also claimed that the Strait of Hormuz is completely open.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains restricted.
He praised Vice President JD Vance, who led the U.S. negotiation team, saying he "did a great job."
President Trump emphasized that even if sanctions on Iran are eased, the funds will flow back into the United States.
"All the money will come back in the form of food purchases," he said. "(Iran) cannot feed its 91 million people. The money from the lifted (sanctions) will return to our farmers."
The intention is to have Iran use the released frozen funds to purchase U.S. agricultural products.
The U.S. negotiation team has already made this proposal to Iran to address concerns that the released funds could be diverted to support terrorism.
President Trump also repeated his claim that he is pursuing the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to end the conflict to prevent an economic recession, stating that he does not want to be like Herbert Hoover, who was president during the Great Depression.
He also argued, "A recession is really bad. Nuclear weapons could bring about a recession much faster."
Reported by JIN Sang-myeong | Video by Ahn Jun-hyeok | Produced by SBS Digital News
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.