US President Donald Trump confirmed on Tuesday that negotiations with Iran were ongoing, but accused its leadership of stalling and using "devious" tactics. He described the Iranian negotiators as "very cunning," noting that they "sometimes agree to understandings and then deny them publicly later."
Earlier, the Republican leader likened the talks to a game of chess, as reported by Axios: "We're taking it calmly. We're having limited negotiations with them. We're just watching Iran, with its massive inflation and the fact that they have no money." He added, "It will work out. Things always work out. It's like a game of chess."
The Iranian response was swift. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei, during his weekly press conference, praised his country's team, saying that "the Iranians have shown that they are professional chess players," both in public and private discussions.
Speaking to Real America Voice, Trump revealed three strategies Washington is adopting to deal with Tehran: First, close monitoring and continuous assessment of the internal situation; second, the direct military option, which includes "hitting them very hard"; and third, the economic pressure that the administration will continue regardless of the course of negotiations.