US president also announces US to reduce military drills with South Korea; cites ‘good relationship’ with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un
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US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he would not seek to extend the memorandum of understanding with Iran, claiming that while Iran wants to make a deal, “they’re not going to make the kind of a deal that I feel is necessary”.
The agreement aimed to end the war and restore commercial navigation through the Strait of Hormuz , a vital global energy chokepoint, but negotiations stalled as both sides accused each other of violating the deal.
The president’s comments came as the 60-day negotiating period expired without an extension. Speaking to reporters, Trump reiterated that preventing Iran from having a nuclear weapon remained non-negotiable for any agreement.
“Look, we’re in there for one reason: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon … and they won’t have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said, while floating a previous suggestion about formally declaring the waterway a US territory. “I like the idea of declaring it a territory. We have total control of the strait.”