White House Says No Talks With Iran, All Options On the Table

WASHINGTON: The United States and Iran are not currently holding talks to end the war as Washington continues to put economic pressure on Tehran, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday.

Speaking to Fox News, Leavitt said President Donald Trump’s main goal was to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

“What President Trump’s number one goal has been and will ‌always be is ‌to ensure that Iran ‌can ⁠never obtain a ⁠nuclear weapon. Period,” Leavitt said.

She said the US had carried out “Operation Epic Fury” to target Iran’s military and was now using “Operation Economic Outcast” to target its economy.

“No negotiations are happening right now,” Leavitt said, adding that talks could resume if Iran comes to the table in a meaningful way.

She also said Trump continues to keep all options “on the table” and that the naval blockade remains in effect.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had warned countries on Monday to reduce their financial ties with Iran or face secondary sanctions. However, the Treasury Department did not impose penalties at that time.

Meanwhile, Qatar’s prime minister visited Tehran on Thursday in an effort to restart diplomacy between the US and Iran. The visit came amid growing tensions over Washington’s economic pressure on Tehran, which an Iranian official described as “all-out economic war.”