President Donald Trump told Axios' Barak Ravid that the US is 'low-keying' and 'semi-negotiating' with Iran, comparing the situation to a chess game. Trump expressed optimism that 'it will work out,' and said the Iranian economy is in 'very bad shape' while American consumers are not feeling the pain from the war with oil at $75 a barrel.
In a new round of quotes from his Axios interview with Barak Ravid, President Donald Trump stated Sunday evening that the US is 'low-keying' and 'semi-negotiating' with Iran, comparing the situation to a chess game. Trump noted that American consumers are not feeling the pain from the war with oil at $75 a barrel, while the Iranian economy is in 'very bad shape.' He expressed optimism that 'it will work out.' The remarks add a new dimension to the sequence of quotes from the same interview, reinforcing the administration's public posture of maintaining economic pressure without escalating to full-scale ground war.
The Zioneer first reported Sunday at 19:56 Jerusalem that Trump told Axios the US is lowering its profile on Iran. In subsequent quotes that evening, the president compared the situation to chess, said the US is in 'very partial' talks, and described the economic siege as 'doing a very good job.' The latest quotes, reported by multiple outlets including ynet and Axios, confirm that the administration views the economic pressure as effective while insulating American consumers. The source quality evolved from an initial Axios report to corroboration by several newsrooms, all drawing from the same interview.
The Zioneer has previously reported on Trump's Iran strategy, including threats of 'violent assaults' on Iranian infrastructure (Jun 10), a WSJ report on economic pressure despite domestic inflation (Jun 11), and Trump's assessment that Iran 'wants a deal more than I do' (Jun 11). The president has oscillated between bellicose threats and confidence in a diplomatic resolution. The current 'low-key' framing suggests a tactical shift in rhetoric, but the overall strategy of maximum economic and military pressure remains intact.
It remains unclear whether the 'semi-negotiations' are progressing toward a final agreement. The Zioneer reported on Jun 9 that Vice President Vance signaled the US may reach an accord that Israel does not support, and the status of any clandestine diplomatic channels—reportedly mediated by Pakistan and Qatar—remains unverified.
5 developments
- DevelopingTrump: 'We are lowering the profile on Iran, like a chess game' — ynet
- DevelopingTrump says 'good discussions' with Iran in Fox News interview
- DevelopingTrump says Iran's economy 'very bad' in interview with Barak Ravid
- StrongTrump: US has 'a lot of ammunition, many types,' warns of return to fighting if no Iran deal
Source and signal
- Open-source intake