USA · 09 August, 2026 · 2 min read
Trump Low-Keying Iran, Semi-Negotiating as Sen. Chris Murphy Says He Lost the War
Trump says US is low-keying and semi-negotiating with Iran to pressure its economy. Continuing economic pressure and avoiding full-scale war as negotiations continue.
Whether Trump’s approach implies imminent de-escalation vs a continued leverage strategy.
10 of 11 outlets skipped it: US core negotiation conditions include handing over 400kg enriched uranium.
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Same story, two versions
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Fortune
“After deciding against renewing all-out war against Iran, President Donald Trump signaled that he will continue applying economic pressure”Read the original ↗
Middle East Eye
“Tensions between Israel and the US is growing amid Washington's efforts to wind down fighting in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran”Read the original ↗
One frames a US pivot to economics; another highlights US Israel friction amid de-escalation.
Trump eases Iran stance
U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday that Washington was “low-keying” its approach to Iran and was only “semi-negotiating,” as he signaled he would forgo a military strike and instead let economic pressure build.
In the same remarks, Trump told Barak Ravid of Channel 12 andAxios that “We are low-keying it,” and he said the U.S. was “only semi-negotiating with them,” while describing Iran as suffering “huge inflation” and having “no money.”
Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy told NBC News that Trump has “lost this war” with Iran, arguing that continued fighting is weakening Washington while strengthening Tehran.
Murphy said he would support even a “bad deal” to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, warning that the cost of restoring traffic through the strategic waterway is increasing as negotiations remain stalled.
Talks stall, demands harden
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that there were no direct talks between Tehran and Washington, while insisting the Strait of Hormuz would not reopen until the U.S. meets Iran’s demands, including ending its naval blockade.
The Times of Israel reported that Trump’s phone interview with Barak Ravid andAxios came after Iran on Saturday laid out “drastic new conditions” for lifting the blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, which carried about one-fifth of the world’s commercial oil shipments until the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Iran on February 28.
Middle East Eye said Israeli Channel 13 reported that U.S. MCentral Command (CENTCOM) chief Brad Cooper conveyed Washington’s message of wanting to shift toward “closing the three fronts” during a visit to Israel over the weekend, citing a military source.
CNN Arabic reported Trump described the situation as “like a chess game,” saying the U.S. was engaging in “calm” negotiations, while Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said Iran and the United States are not currently in talks.
Strait of Hormuz remains key
The dispute over the Strait of Hormuz remained central, with Trump’s economic-pressure approach tied to reopening the waterway and Iranian conditions tied to ending the U.S. naval blockade. News On AIR reported that negotiations remained stalled over uranium stockpiles, sanctions relief, and compensation for war-related damages, and said Trump’s social media post urged Tehran to move quickly toward an agreement.
That same report said the U.S. wants Iran to hand over 400 kilograms of enriched uranium to the U.S. and keep only one nuclear facility active, while also wanting to drop demands for war compensation and accept that most frozen Iranian assets will stay blocked. In parallel, News On AIR said Iran rejected the U.S. terms and set its own conditions for restarting talks, including that military operations in the region, especially in Lebanon, must stop, sanctions must be lifted, and frozen Iranian assets must be released.