US President Donald Trump declared on Monday that Iran is unwilling to agree to the kind of nuclear deal he considers necessary, even as Tehran has signalled a desire to reach an agreement with Washington. His remarks came as a 60-day negotiating window between the two sides formally expired, with both nations holding firm on their respective positions.

Trump's Position on Iran Nuclear Talks

'They want to make a deal, but they're not going to make the kind of a deal that I feel is necessary,' Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday. He offered no specifics on the current state of negotiations, but reiterated that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon remained Washington's core objective. 'You understand that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, and they won't have a nuclear weapon,' he said. 'It's very simple. They can't have a nuclear war.'

Trump Claims 'Total Control' Over Strait of Hormuz

In a striking escalation of rhetoric, Trump claimed that the United States had achieved 'total control' over the Strait of Hormuz through a naval blockade against all Iranian ports. He went further, repeatedly floating the idea of formally declaring the strategic waterway a US territory. 'We control it (the strait) with the blockade. And I like the idea of declaring it a territory,' Trump said. 'We have total control over the Strait now.' The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most critical oil shipping lanes, through which roughly 20% of global petroleum trade passes.

Warning to Oman Over Reported Mediation Effort

Oman has reportedly been working with Iran on a plan to reopen the strait and place it under joint control of the two nations. Trump issued a pointed warning, saying: 'I don't think they behaved very well, but we'd handle them very easily, just like we do others.' The remarks drew attention given Oman's traditional role as a back-channel intermediary between Washington and Tehran in past diplomatic episodes.

Iran's IRGC Rejects Backchannel Claims

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) flatly denied Trump's assertion that a backchannel for talks exists between Washington and the IRGC. IRGC spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi, speaking to the semi-official Tasnim news agency, called Trump's claim a 'delusion,' stating that no dialogue was taking place between IRGC officials and American counterparts. Mohebbi added that Iran's broader diplomatic apparatus had also suspended negotiations with the United States, citing Washington's 'breach of promises' as the reason. This comes amid a pattern of mutual accusations that have stalled multiple rounds of indirect diplomacy over the past several years.

What Happens Next

With the 60-day ceasefire period now over and no agreement in sight, the diplomatic standoff enters a more uncertain phase. Both sides have shown no willingness to soften their core demands — Washington insisting on Iran's full nuclear rollback, and Tehran pointing to what it describes as American bad faith. Analysts warn that the collapse of even backchannel contacts raises the risk of miscalculation in the strategically vital Persian Gulf region.