President Donald Trump told Axios that the United States is conducting 'very partial' negotiations with Iran, saying the economic siege is 'doing a very good job.' The president also noted that Iran is in a 'bad state' economically, according to the interview.
President Donald Trump told Axios that the United States is conducting 'very partial' negotiations with Iran, adding that the economic siege is 'doing a very good job.' The remark, reported by Axios journalist Barak Betesh, is the latest detail to emerge from the same interview The Zioneer has been tracking throughout the evening.
At 19:56 Jerusalem, The Zioneer first reported Trump saying the US is lowering its profile on Iran. In the same published minute, a second report added the president comparing the situation to chess and expressing confidence it would work out. A third report from the same timestamp stated Trump assessed Iran as being in a 'bad state' economically under the siege. The new quotation specifying 'very partial' talks now rounds out the picture from that single Axios encounter.
The president's public assessments on Iran have been consistently optimistic in recent weeks. As The Zioneer reported on June 9, Trump said the US expects clarity on negotiations within 48 hours while maintaining a 100% blockade. On June 17, he clarified that the existing framework is a preliminary memorandum of understanding and warned he would resume bombing if the final deal fails to meet standards. Earlier, on June 8, Trump said Iran retains only 22% of its missile stockpile and that US forces would stay until a final deal.
The full Axios interview has not been published in its entirety, and the exact wording and context of Trump's 'very partial' characterization have not been independently confirmed. The interview's timing and setting also remain unclear.
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