Vitkoff: Trump Surprised by Iran’s Refusal to Surrender / Trump Says “We Sent All These Warships, but Iran Has Not Yielded”

According to Rokna, Steve Vitkoff, the United States’ Special Representative for Middle East Affairs, spoke on Saturday in a live interview with Fox News about Trump’s astonishment regarding Iran’s steadfastness against maximum pressure.

Trump Surprised by Iranian Resistance

Vitkoff stated in the interview: “President Trump asked me this morning about Iran’s positions. He remains curious as to why the Iranians have not surrendered despite this level of economic and military pressure. Even with the extensive naval fleet we have deployed, we expected them to tell us they would abandon their nuclear objectives. Yet convincing them remains extremely difficult.”

U.S. Red Line: Zero Enrichment

He added that the United States’ stance on Iran’s nuclear program is clear: “We demand zero enrichment from Iran. However, Iran is enriching at levels beyond peaceful needs, and we believe the country may be only a week away from producing material necessary for bomb-making.”

Extensive U.S. Military Presence in the Region

In recent weeks, the U.S. has dispatched numerous aircraft carriers and destroyers to the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman. According to U.S. officials, these measures aim to increase pressure on Iran to accept Washington’s demands in recent indirect negotiations, mediated by Oman and Qatar.

Domestic Perspectives and Negotiation Status

Vitkoff, who has previously met with regional officials and some Iranian opposition figures, emphasized that Donald Trump is simultaneously “hopeful” and “frustrated” about reaching an agreement with Iran. This is not the first time American officials have described Iran’s resistance as unexpected; Jared Kushner, Trump’s senior advisor and son-in-law, had previously noted the “difficulty in predicting Tehran’s actions.”

Meanwhile, Iranian officials have not formally responded to these statements. However, sources close to Tehran confirmed that the Islamic Republic will never yield to U.S. demands for a complete cessation of enrichment and continues to emphasize the peaceful nature of its nuclear program in accordance with international obligations.

Ongoing Negotiations: Progress Amid Disagreements

As indirect negotiations between Iran and the United States continue, sources close to the U.S. administration have indicated that some progress has been made in certain areas. Nevertheless, contentious issues such as uranium enrichment and sanctions relief remain unresolved.