Iranupdated 1h ago2 min read
Archive photo · 2 June 2025Trump Says Renewed US Attacks on Iran Highly Unlikely After Qatar Talks
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Trump says renewed attacks on Iran are highly unlikely if talks advance toward a deal. Progress in negotiations and reopening the Strait of Hormuz underpin the restraint.
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Status quo, talks advance
Donald Trump said on Monday that renewed US attacks on Iran were "highly unlikely" and that the United States was "locked and loaded" only if circumstances changed. Trump told reporters from the White House press briefing room that "Iran militarily is effectively over" and that the US was "just keeping it the status quo" while pursuing negotiations. Trump also said he had "positive momentum" behind efforts to end the Middle East conflict after meeting Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in the Oval Office.
Qatar’s prime minister said on X that he held "positive discussions" with Trump and Vance on "reaching a deal and bringing peace to the region". The BBC reported that Iranian officials had repeatedly expressed doubts about Trump’s prior comments about resolving the conflict, even as Trump pointed to de-escalation after midterm election results for Republicans.
Blockade and Iron Gate
Trump said Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait favored maintaining the current US naval blockade of Iran alongside the newly launched Operation Iron Gate to restrict Iran’s land-based supply routes. Trump wrote that all those countries "would prefer the status quo" and that they agree Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, which he called "non-negotiable." Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday that Iran’s two-day plan for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is still on the table and called it "the most logical proposal" available.
Mohsen Rezaei challenged the negotiations, writing that it was "time to surrender to the seven conditions Iran has repeatedly set out" after Trump’s comments. The BBC said Trump suggested the US naval blockade on Iranian ports was helping to make the region more secure, while oil prices dipped after his remarks.
Disputes and what next
Marco Rubio said earlier on Sunday that diplomatic efforts had made little progress and that a breakthrough was not imminent, while Trump continued to say renewed strikes were unlikely if negotiations advanced. Euronews reported that Rubio said Iran’s demands were "exaggerated, ridiculous, and truly unrealistic" and that he could not report progress in the talks. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei rejected Rubio’s characterization and said that "defending the rights and interests of the Iranian nation is not something irrational."
NBC News reported that Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei defended Iran’s proposal as the most reasonable offer on the table, while Trump rejected it and described the conditions as "outrageous and ridiculous and really not realistic." The BBC said Trump hosted Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and that the US war in Iran has been discussed indirectly through mediators since the war broke out following joint US-Israeli strikes in February.