US Envoy: Trump “surprised” by Iran’s resilience despite pressure

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 (YPA) – US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff stated that President Donald Trump is surprised by Iran’s lack of response to American pressure.

In an interview with “Fox News” channel, Witkoff explained that Trump is questioning why Tehran has not “surrendered” despite what he described as a “massive US naval deployment in the region.”

Witkoff quoted the President as saying, “The President asked me this morning—and I don’t want to use the word frustrated because he knows he has many alternatives—but he wonders why the Iranians haven’t surrendered. I don’t want to use the word surrender, but why haven’t they given in?”

The US envoy noted the difficulty of persuading Tehran, claiming that while Iranians maintain their nuclear program is peaceful, they have been enriching uranium at rates far exceeding civilian requirements.

He alleged they could be “a week away from having weapons-grade material for a bomb.”

This comes following Trump’s announcement last Thursday that he is granting Iran a maximum of 15 days to reach an agreement with the United States, expressing his belief that this timeframe is sufficient to sign a deal.

YPA