US President Donald Trump said on Sunday the United States will not seek to extend the 60-day framework agreement with Iran, arguing Tehran is unwilling to make the deal he believes is necessary to prevent it from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Speaking in the Oval Office as the deadline expired on Monday, Trump insisted the US must maintain its military posture in the Middle East, warning that Iran "cannot have a nuclear weapon." He also threatened to bomb Oman "without mercy" if the sultanate interferes with negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz, where Muscat and Tehran have been conducting separate talks on navigation routes. Iranian officials warned that Tehran would not negotiate unless Washington fully complies with the memorandum's terms, including lifting its naval blockade.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Trump in a phone call to continue negotiations with Iran, emphasizing diplomacy and offering to help broker peace. Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson said the 60-day expiry was "irrelevant" because substantive negotiations never began.