US Intensifies Pressure on Iran, Threatens New Attacks if Negotiations Do Not Progress

The White House publicly pressed Iran again on Saturday to resume negotiations with the United States and simultaneously reaffirmed the threat of a new military offensive if Tehran does not change its stance. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that the Trump administration will not back down from its demand that the Iranian regime fulfill commitments made in previous negotiations.

According to reports this week, the White House stated that Iran "will continue to pay" until it agrees to sit at the negotiating table under the conditions that Trump is willing to accept. From the spokesperson's office, it was highlighted that the United States had signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran, which the Persian regime violated by firing at commercial vessels and killing American soldiers, and warned that the Republican president "will not stand idly by" in the face of what they termed terrorist behavior.

Despite the firm tone, Leavitt insisted that the diplomatic route remains open. "The president will hold them accountable when they turn their backs on the words they have expressed to the United States. But at the same time, he is always open to diplomacy," the spokesperson stated in one of her recent press conferences. The official also confirmed that contacts between both countries have not been interrupted: "They have expressed that they still want to reach an agreement with the president. We are talking to them," she affirmed.

One of the central axes of the conflict remains the Strait of Hormuz. Leavitt had explained weeks ago that the memorandum signed by both parties stipulated that Iran must refrain from attacking commercial vessels transiting through that strategic maritime route, and reiterated that Washington will respond militarily to any new attacks against ships in the area.

The U.S. ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, noted that the United States remains "ready to strike" and has reinforced its military presence in the region, although he acknowledged that Trump decided to "give breathing room" to the talks and grant additional leeway to Tehran.

From Tehran, however, the reading is different. The Iranian Foreign Ministry denied in recent days that there is an open negotiation channel with Washington. Its spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, was categorical: "Currently, we are not participating in any negotiations with the United States." The Iranian Foreign Ministry emphasized that while the United States suspended the daily attacks ordered by Trump over the last weekend, this does not imply the reopening of formal dialogue.

The conflict, which began on February 28, escalated with Iran's launch of missiles and drones against U.S. targets in various Arab countries and with the declaration of a new blockade of the Strait of Hormuz on July 12. In Washington, meanwhile, concerns are growing among officials about the true decision-making center in Tehran, amid suspicions that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard has taken firmer control over the conduct of the conflict above the political figures with whom the United States had been dialoguing.