- Donald Trump ordered US negotiators to temporarily halt talks with Iranian officials
- The US strategy is shifting from quick pressure to a long-term squeeze on Iran
- Trump claimed no talks are ongoing and insisted the naval blockade remains active
US President Donald Trump has ordered his negotiating team to stop engaging with Iranian officials, marking an apparent shift in Washington's approach to the stalled war.
According to CNN report, Trump instructed top administration envoys, including Vice President JD Vance, and envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, to pause conversations with Tehran.
White House officials have also told political allies that the broader strategy is evolving from an initial push to pressure Iran quickly to a longer-term approach of squeezing the regime over time, a source familiar with the matter told the outlet.
The shift comes even as Trump has for weeks insisted a new deal with Iran was close, ever since a ceasefire agreed in June collapsed.
On Tuesday, Trump declared on Truth Social that no talks with Tehran were "going on, or scheduled," while asserting that the naval blockade remained in force and that mines in the Strait of Hormuz had been cleared.
In reality, traffic through the strait remains reportedly minimal, with vessels still coming under fire from Iranian projectiles.
Officials told the broadcaster that Trump's decision to pull back followed some "positive discussions" with Tehran, but that he remains dissatisfied with Iran's refusal to accept his terms and wants Tehran's leadership to signal fresh flexibility before talks resume.
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The pause in dialogue comes a day after Kushner offered a notably more upbeat assessment during a Middle East trip, telling Fox News that talks between Washington and Tehran were "probably more robust" than ever and that engagement with Iranian officials was "very positive."
Iran has repeatedly denied holding direct talks with the US.
Trump has reportedly grown increasingly frustrated with a separate arrangement Iran is negotiating with Oman over managing traffic through the strait, and warned this week that Washington could strike Oman militarily despite its decades-long partnership with the US, though he did not elaborate further.
The US is expected to impose fresh sanctions on Iran as early as this week, officials told the network.
ALSO READ: Trump Calls Strait Of Hormuz New 'US Territory' Amid No Headways In Iran Talks
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