President Donald Trump said Iran was severely weakened by the U.S. military campaign and rejected claims that Tehran gained from the memorandum of understanding, saying negotiators will “play out the 60 days.”
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump said Friday that Iran will receive no U.S. money under the memorandum of understanding reached with Washington, while arguing that Tehran entered the negotiating period after suffering major military losses.
In two posts on Truth Social, Trump pushed back on Democratic criticism of his administration’s campaign against Iran and said the conflict left Tehran diminished.
“The War has diminished Iran!” Trump wrote. “It doesn’t, any longer, have an Air Force, a Navy, Antiaircraft Equipment, Radar, or practically anything else, and yet the Dumocrats say that Iran is better off now than it was four months ago.
“Can you imagine getting away with that??? How stupid can some people be???”
The comments came after the United States and Iran agreed to a framework intended to end months of fighting and begin a 60-day process toward a broader agreement. The memorandum is also intended to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a major shipping route for global oil supplies.
Hours after Trump’s remarks, the New York Post reported that Iran had again closed the strait.
Trump has repeatedly said U.S. military action achieved its central objectives by degrading Iran’s military capabilities and pressuring Tehran back into negotiations.
In a second post Friday, the president rejected the idea that Washington entered talks out of weakness.
“We didn’t meet out of desperation, Iran did,” Trump wrote. “They are FINISHED! We’ll play out the 60 days. They get no money, not ten cents!”
The memorandum of understanding establishes a 60-day period for negotiators to work toward a more permanent agreement. Administration officials have said the process is expected to address the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program, though the final terms have not been released.
The agreement follows months of conflict that began after Trump ordered military action against Iran in late February. U.S. and allied forces struck Iranian military, missile and nuclear-related facilities, while Iran responded with attacks across the region.
Supporters of the administration say the campaign weakened Iran’s military infrastructure and improved Washington’s leverage. Critics have questioned whether the war produced lasting strategic gains and have argued that diplomacy could have avoided the costs of military action.
Trump has dismissed those criticisms, saying Iran is now in a weaker position than it was before the fighting began.
Administration officials have also pointed to lower oil prices following efforts to restore shipping through the Persian Gulf, arguing that reduced energy costs could benefit consumers if the agreement holds and maritime traffic stabilizes.
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