President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Iran is doing "very poorly" in its conflict with the United States, though he expressed uncertainty about whether the country will surrender in the near term.
"I don't know if they are going to give up yet but they'll give up," Trump told reporters outside the White House following a meeting with artificial intelligence company executives. "They are doing very poorly," he added.
Trump reiterated his confidence that Iran will not obtain a nuclear weapon. The Islamic Republic has repeatedly stated it does not seek to develop nuclear weapons.
The U.S. blockade has cut Iran's financial lifeline through oil exports, and the economic costs of the conflict have increased hardship for Iranians. The war began on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, which responded with its own strikes on Israel.
Trump stated that the United States has extracted more oil from the Strait of Hormuz over the past two days than at any previous point in history, including before the war began. The strait, a critical global shipping route, carried approximately one-fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies before the conflict. The war has led to a blockade of the waterway.
In June, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding providing for an immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including in Lebanon. However, the United States resumed military operations on the night of July 8.
Iran has maintained its conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz despite Trump's rejection of an Iranian proposal last week. During meetings at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Iran presented a proposal that included reopening the strait within seven days and ceasing combat, to be followed by broader negotiations on agreed-upon issues including the nuclear file.
Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei said Saturday that Tehran had informed mediators of its conditions for resuming negotiations aimed at ending the war with the United States. Iran has communicated seven conditions to the U.S. for beginning negotiations, according to officials.
Iran's president told the UN General Assembly last week that Tehran would never surrender to U.S. pressure. Iran is awaiting the final American position through mediators.