WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump expressed puzzlement Sunday over Iran’s resistance to make concessions in nuclear negotiations, questioning why Tehran “has not capitulated” despite an intensified U.S. military buildup in the Middle East and looming deadlines for a deal. Trump’s special envoy to Iran, Steve Witkoff, made the comments as indirect talks continue in Geneva amid the strongest U.S. force posture in the region in decades.
Pressure and diplomacy amid U.S. military buildup
Witkoff said in a Fox News interview that Trump is “curious” why Tehran has not agreed to curb its nuclear program under mounting pressure, including a large deployment of carrier strike groups, fighter jets, and additional assets to the region as part of an unprecedented U.S. military buildup in the Middle East that began in January. The president has consistently tied the force posture to deterrence and readiness for possible action if talks fail, but Tehran has thus far remained defiant.
Trump’s critics and some analysts see echoes of the past. The administration has revived aspects of the so‑called maximum pressure campaign of intensified sanctions and coercive tactics, including military threats designed to compel Iranian concessions not only on nuclear enrichment but also on missile capabilities and regional proxy support.
Talks in Geneva and Tehran’s position
The latest round of negotiations resumed under Omani mediation as both capitals weigh risks. Tehran has hinted at willingness to dilute some of its enriched uranium and possibly engage with expanded IAEA oversight, but it rejects constraints on wider aspects of its program that the U.S. insists must be part of any deal.
Meanwhile, Trump has issued stern warnings that “bad things” could follow if a diplomatic solution is not reached within a narrow window of time, a stance underscored by the U.S. deployment and rhetoric from senior administration officials.
Tensions are further complicated by regional dynamics, including Iran’s deepening ties with other powers and internal political pressures, which Tehran’s leaders cite as reasons for resisting external demands despite heightened military pressure.
As diplomatic and military avenues unfold, Washington’s strategy of combining negotiation with force posture will remain under scrutiny, with Trump’s public curiosity about Iran’s stance highlighting the high stakes of the current crisis.
